


24 visits

by GucciAspirin



Series: 24 ways steps to grow old together and some crap [1]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Adults, Alternate Universe, Doctor/Patient, F/F, i swear no one dies it's not that kind of medical au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-19 08:24:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7353349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GucciAspirin/pseuds/GucciAspirin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A doctor and a super idol walk into an ER, they hate each other. (They're perfect for each other).</p>
            </blockquote>





	24 visits

**Author's Note:**

> i sacrificed medical realism in places but i did it to make this more gay.  
> all mistakes mine

**Visit One:**

 

 **Reason:** Fainting

 **Symptoms:** Heart rate accelerated, pale, shallow breathing, low blood pressure

 **Time in:** 5:13 pm July 7th, 2014

 

Nico woke up in a cold, white room with an IV in her right arm, a pounding in the left temple of her head, and a churning in her stomach.

 

She was in rehearsal, dancing - and then she’d started to sweat more than normal before her knees slowly turned to jelly and the edges of her vision had filled with an inky black. And then...this. Nico looked to her side only to find Eli, her choreographer, and Nozomi, her agent.

 

Both called out her name at the same time, at the flicker of Nico’s eyes opening.

 

Eli shifted forward in her chair.“Are you okay?”

 

Nico glanced down at her IV and then at her gown. “I’m in a hospital bed, so probably not.” She sighed, sitting up and wincing at the jolt of pain she felt going down her back. _Ah, so that’s where I fell._ Rubbing her back, she could feel the large bump of raised skin already forming.

 

“What happened?” she asked both of them, only mildly annoyed with the hovering. It was kind of nice after all, even if she didn’t actually need it. If they didn’t hover she would be even more annoyed.

 

“Everything was fine, and then I noticed you were going a little slow and off tempo,” Eli started, biting the inside of her lip. “Then you said, _I’m not feeling so well,_ before conking out on the floor.”

 

“When was the last time you ate?” Nozomi asked, worried, and _possibly_ irritable. Nico couldn’t quite tell.

 

Nico bit into her lip, trying to remember. It’s not like she ever purposely skipped meals, but last night she was so busy and in the morning she had a signing event right away and after that was rehearsal. “Last night,” she said. That had only partially been a lie considering that she _had_ eaten a granola bar.

 

With pursed lips, Nozomi lowered her head giving off that kind of stern look, the beginning of a scolding. “Nicocchi, I know it’s a busy time, but you need to take care of yourself. You used to do so well...”

 

“I know, I know.” Nico waved her hand and closed her eyes. It was only that, _well_ , Nico wasn’t getting any younger, and with all these new girls continuously coming to the market - she couldn’t let her age show. She needed to keep up, more than that; she needed to be better.

 

She leaned further back into the bed, only to hiss as her bruise collided with the bed’s surface. “I didn’t mean to - I just forgot. I won’t anymore. Can I leave now? This thing is itchy.” She glared at the needle sticking in her arm and wondered why the hell it was on her right side, not left.

 

“Ms. Yazawa?” the low voice of a woman called out. In came a taller (taller than Nico, at least), red-headed woman with a clipboard in her hand. She wore a white coat that came down to her knees, beneath that black slacks and a blue blouse.

 

Oh, also she was really pretty. Like, supermodel pretty and Nico actually _knew_ supermodels. Maybe more than pretty. Gorgeous, ethereal even.

 

Again, not that Nico didn’t deal with pretty people on a daily basis given her career as one of the most famous idols in the world; but _wow._ Glowing, milky skin accentuated the sharp line of her cheeks and jawline, all the way down to defined collarbones. She stood there, her big, violet eyes assessing Nico, a thin layer of nude eye shadow; but no other visible makeup with the exception of a light gloss covering her pink lips.

 

“Ms. Yazawa?” she said, and it was then that Nico realized the woman must have asked her a question or something.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry Doctor...” Nico looked at the small tag on her lab coat. _Maki Nishikino._ “Nishikino. What did you say?”

 

She sighed, and if Nico wasn’t mistaken, rolled her eyes. Doctors weren't typically known for great bedside manner, but Nico wasn’t your typical patient.

 

“We’re going to do some bloodwork and a CT scan of your head. Right now we’re giving you saline to help your dehydration and low blood pressure. A nurse will be in soon.” With that, Doctor Nishikino walked away.

 

Nico scowled at her back. “That was kind of rude,” she said, glancing at Nozomi and Eli. “I didn’t even get to ask questions. She didn’t even ask me if I was okay!”

 

Nozomi giggled. “You’re a little flustered, Nicocchi.”

 

“I am not!” Nico could feel her cheeks getting warm. “Or, maybe I am. But only because she was rude.”

 

Eli smiled. “She’s a doctor. Perhaps she’s just having a busy day, you know you’re not her only patient, and it isn’t like we took you to some random doctor. We need you in the best hands.”

 

Nico peaked up at Eli, her lips shut tight. She opened her mouth to argue, realized she had nothing to say and closed it. _Best hands, huh?_ “Who is she?”

 

“The future owner of this hospital as well as the owner of a practice a few miles out of town,” Nozomi replied, her lips tilting up. “I’ve been looking for a primary care doctor for you for a while since you refuse,” she glared, “to do so on your own. We got lucky with her being here, I think it’s fate.”

 

Nico rolled her eyes. “You think everything is fate.” She stuck her tongue to the inside of her cheek before biting down on her lip. _A CT scan._ “Is there something wrong with me? It’s normal to faint, right? The CT scan is just...precautionary?”

 

Eli nodded, giving her a soft smile. “Yes. They just want to make sure everything is okay, we asked for it. You had us worried there, besides - you hit your head pretty hard." 

 

At that Nico brought her hand to her head, wincing when she found a large bump on the back, just below her scalp.

 

As she lowered her hand, the door creaked open once again. Except this time a smaller woman walked in, a bright blush on her cheeks as she smiled at Nico. She tucked the blonde hair in front of her ear to behind it and cleared her throat. “H-Hi, Ms. Yazawa. I’m nurse Hanayo. I’ll be taking care of you today.”

 

“Not the doctor?”

 

She shook her head. “No, she’s not needed for these things, she’ll come back when done, though.” Then she stopped talking, actually stopped everything - like she was frozen, or something. Nico almost got up to see if she was okay. Without warning she blurted out, “I’m a big fan, Ms. Yazawa!” Nurse Hanayo covered her mouth and looked down.

 

Like a switch, Nico could feel her idol mode turn on. She gave the girl a wide smile before positioning her hands. “A fan of super idol Nico, Nico _woah_!” Her head began to spin with the quick movement.  _Didn't think that one through._

 

“Nico!” Eli shouted as Nurse Hanayo ran to her side.

 

“Please, Miss Yazawa, try to limit any sudden movements.” She placed her hands on Nico’s arms to help her settle down into the bed.

 

Nico gave a weak laugh, wiping the bangs from her forehead. “I guess that was a lot, huh?”

 

“Nicocchi do you not remember how you got here in the first place?”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Nico grumbled. “But it’s always excited to meet a fan!” Nico’s heart sank a little with embarrassment at the feeling of possibly disappointing, or even causing trouble for Nurse Hanayo. She was an idol. It was her job to make people happy, not stress them out. She sighed out a low, “Sorry.”

 

“Oh, please! Don’t apologize. I just don’t want you to faint again, it’s a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Yazawa.”

 

Nico nodded but mentally reminded herself to ask if the nurse wanted an autograph later.

 

After that they went through blood testing, a series of drawing blood into different tubes, making Nico more than a little squeamish. She hated needles almost as much as she hated seeing her own blood. It was just her and Nurse Hanayo, so Nico attempted to make small talk. She found out that Nurse Hanayo was obsessed with idols, and one of her biggest fans, which made her a little happy even though the blood was being drained out of her body.

 

When it came to the CT scan, the woman pumped something in her IV that kinda made her body feel kinda warm. “It’s going to feel like you peed yourself,” Hanayo told Nico, but mostly it just felt like her lower body was being hit with a hot blow dryer.

 

After that, Nico found herself back in the room she had been in before. Eli and Nozomi brought crackers, as order of the doctor to eat something. Nico kinda wished that Doctor Nishikino would have told her that herself.

 

“Alright, Ms. Yazawa, you’re free to go,” Doctor Nishikino said about 30 minutes after Nico came back. She checked the saline bag attached to Nico’s IV pole, squeezed it a little to see how full it was. From Nico’s point of view it just looked empty. “Rest for today, we’ll get your blood results in a few days, the CT scan results by tomorrow.”

 

Nico watched her as she walked over to Nico’s right side. When Doctor Nishikino touched her arm, she felt a brief jolt of electricity -or no- not like being shocked, but something super cold touching you when your body is warm. Nico looked up at her only to see her pause for a second as well, idly Nico wondered is she had felt the weird jolt too.

 

Then, carelessly, Doctor Nishikino ripped off the bandage covering the IV.

 

Without thought Nico yelled out, “ _What the hell?”_

 

“Nicocchi!” Nozomi chided, but when Nico looked up she swore that Doctor Nishikino was smiling.

 

Nico glared up, only getting angrier when she cocked one perfectly sculpted, red brow. With a smile faker than most of the people Nico met on a daily basis, she said, “I’m sorry,” slowly, each letter perfectly enunciated.

 

She was not sorry.

 

Nico grumbled out a just as fake, “It’s fine,” as Doctor Nishikino pulled out the needle.

 

Then, not saying anything more, the doctor left the room.

 

Nico shooed out Eli and Nozomi while she changed out of her hospital gown and into normal clothes, mumbling annoyances about her new doctor and how she was _so_ not going back to her.

 

Definitely not.

 

Even if Nico did think she was super attractive, and even if Nico was kind of disappointed the doctor didn’t seem to take, well, any sort of liking to her.

 

She was totally not going anywhere near Doctor Nishikino again. Never. Not in a billion years.

 

**Visit Two:**

 

 **Reason:** Diagnoses

 **Symptoms:** Heart rate accelerated, pale, shallow breathing, low blood pressure

 **Time in:** 8:00 am July 12th, 2014

 

Maki hated working with celebrities of any kind. They were always entitled and annoying and _so_ overdramatic. Besides that, they got her nurses worked up every single time. Nico Yazawa, super idol _Nico Nico Nii (ugh)_ was no better. Maki didn’t want to deal with her.

 

And Maki especially did not want to deal with her at 8 am, but there she was, standing in front of Nico, three minutes past. Sure, Nico was attractive - if you were into that insanely cute and also maybe just a little bit hot thing. Didn’t make her less of a burden.

 

So, Maki wanted to get the appointment over with quick, hoping that her bedside manner would be so bad Nico would request another doctor. Of course she could just refuse Nico, but that alway looked bad. And Maki had already done that with two other patients, one a famous swimmer who hit on her twice, and another a woman who kept talking about her pet rats. The rat thing would have been okay if the woman had not brought them into her office one day.

 

Maki looked at her clipboard, purposely avoiding Nico’s curious gaze.

 

“You have anemia,” Maki said, expecting shock or suprise, or some dumbass comment about dying.

 

“Oh,” was all Nico said with a small shrug. She might have even been relieved.

 

“You know what that is?” Maki asked cautiously.

 

Nico rolled her eyes. _Brat._ “Yeah, my little brother has it. It’s like when your red, blood cell count is low, right?”

 

Maki’s eyes widened a little. “Yes, kind of. So you know about proper treatment?”

 

“Yes. Is that all?” Nico looked down at her hands, toyed with one of her nails. _Was she even listening?_

 

“That’s all. You’ll need to come in for checkups more regularly from now on, and I’ll have them give you a print out of proper care up front.”

 

Nico stood up, stretched out her back muscles and arms. The hem of her shirt lifted a little, and Maki accidently caught a brief glimpse of pale stomach. Well, less of a glimpse and more that Maki just couldn’t stop staring.

 

Only because someone of her fame should look more professional while going out, obviously.

 

Nico cleared her throat, forcing Maki to look up at one of the most annoyingly smug faces she’d seen in her life.

 

“Sure there isn’t anything else?” Nico asked.

 

This is why famous people were the worst. “Your things will be up front, Ms.Yazawa,” Maki said before leaving the room.

 

**Visit Three:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** Slight Fatigue

 **Time in:** 10:00 am August 3rd, 2014

 

Okay, so yes, Nico went back to Dr. Nishikino.

 

At first it was because Nozomi and Eli gave her no choice since she was the doctor who did the blood work (Nico tried to argue that it was technically a nurse, but - of course, she was outnumbered).

 

So she went to the practice, attempting to act as disinterested as possible. And that’s when Dr. Nishikino got interested. And interesting. So even though Dr. Nishikino is what others might call (or whisper) a b.i.t.c.h; she’s one who totally checked out Nico. And that was enough for Nico to come back.

 

The practice was nice enough. Small, with a few other doctors Nico had seen the names of on the outside of the building. _Doctor Sonoda - OBGYN. Doctor Kosaka - Pediatrics._

 

Inside everything was very woody, lots of redwoods. The chairs, the tables the ticking clock in the corning of the waiting room. If Nico breathed in hard enough she could smell lemon polish.

 

At the front desk, a woman was sitting next to a jar full of lollipops. She had one in her mouth, the white stick peaking out. She took it out, revealing a bright blue tongue. “Nico Yazawa,” she called out.

 

Nico stood up, smiled at the woman. She was there last week too, another person who worked under Dr. Nishikino and was way nicer. Nico looked at her nametag. Rin.

 

“Hi!”

 

Rin returned her smile, then said, “You can head on back now. Hanayo will take your weight and stuff.”

 

Nico looked to her side and saw the familiar face waiting for her. She’d figured since Hanayo was there last time, the nurse just worked under Nishikino. Nico wondered if they were friends, if Nishikino talked about her, or complained.

 

“Hello,” Hanayo said, bowing her head a little.

 

“So do you just work for Doctor Nishikino?” Nico asked.

 

Hanayo guided her to a scale while nodding. “I work at both here and the hospital, like Dr. Nishikino. The practice and hospital are connected and Maki - I mean, Dr. Nishikino likes to have me around.” She chuckled at that, then wrote down Nico’s weight.

 

They headed into the office, white walls with a few pamphlets on the counter. Nico sat down on the exam table, the wax paper crinkling below her butt.

 

Hanayo was mostly quiet as she got out the blood pressure pump and wrapped it around Nico’s arm. “Legs uncrossed,” she said.

 

The cuff on Nico’s arm tightened, and Nico watched as the velcro seemed to split, making a light scratching sound in the silent room.

 

“So, how have you been feeling? Any spells?”

 

Nico watched the monitor as it beeped. “Uh, tired? I think I’ve been more tired.”

 

Hanyo sucked in her bottom lip while looking at the readings, all numbers Nico really didn’t get. “Hmm...okay. Dr. Nishikino will be in with you in a bit.”

 

And as it turned out a bit was more like 30 minutes of waiting. Nico swore she was doing that on purpose. Her phone battery was already at 50% from the practices shitty reception and her own everlasting boredom. She could only check her twitter timeline so many times. Maybe she should have tweeted something like _Nishikino’s practice sucks._

 

But as it stood she had 13 million followers, and even she had her limits when it came to being petty.

 

“Ms. Yazawa,” Dr. Nishikino greeted.

 

Nico examined her for a moment, looking up and down. Why was someone so pretty so nasty? It wasn’t an unusual concept for Nico, but with Dr. Nishikino, it was more bothersome for some reason. More annoying than all of the fakes she met while doing her job. Maybe because Dr. Nishikino was supposed to be normal.

 

Nico shifted on the exam table, cringed when the wax cover shuffled loudly under her body. “You took your time.”

 

“Well, I do have other patients, Ms. Yazawa. If you’d like me to only cater to you, there are plenty of other doctors that would love to, I’m sure.”

 

Nico smirked at that, leaning forward a little. The wax paper shifted once again. “You don’t love helping famous super idol Nico?” she pouted a little, crossed her arms one over the other.

 

Dr. Nishikino mustered up a smile - her lips turning up forcibly like peeling wallpaper - but didn’t actually answer the question. Either way, by the end of the appointment, Nico was going to get some sort of reaction from her.

 

Walking up towards Nico with a stethoscope in hand, she placed the bell against Nico’s heart.

 

“You didn’t answer Nico.”

 

“Deep breath.”

 

Nico breathed in, humming as she did so.

 

“Breathe normally.”

 

Dr. Nishikino was gorgeous when she wasn’t being awful. So basically when she wasn’t talking. The way her eyes focused on nothing in particular, but you could tell she was thinking. And how her red hair fell into her face as she dipped down. Her chest fell slowly, so that Nico could tell when she was taking in breaths. It seemed like all of them were long, her collarbones would rise, then dip, sticking out a tiny bit more beneath smooth skin.

 

“Your heart beats going faster than normal,” she said, placing the bell on Nico’s back.

 

Nico jumped, her face turning red. “Huh, ah- why’s that?”

 

“Are you doing the things that I told you to do?” she asked, pulling the ear piece down.

 

“Well you didn’t actually tell me anything, you just gave me a stack of papers.”

 

“Because you said you already knew what you were dealing with.”

 

Nico’s eyes narrow as she breathed in again, her face red for an entirely different reason. This Dr. Nishikino wasn’t cute at all. She was just mean. “Well you’re the doctor, in any case, isn’t it your responsibility to relay information no matter what the patient says?”

 

Dr. Nishikino scowled and looked down at the floor for a moment. “Yes, you’re right.”

 

At that Nico perked up, a grin appearing on her lips. “Thank you for acknowledi-”

 

“I shouldn’t have let a patient's naivitivity and bullheadedness get in the way of my job.”

 

“Hey!” Nico balled her fist up, an insult on her tongue, but before she could say another word a thermometer was being shoved in her mouth. She managed to mumble, “umforsthonal,” around the thermometer before being shushed.

 

Dr. Nishikino took the thermometer out, looking at it carefully.

 

“Do you smoke,” she asked.

 

Nico shook her head. “I vape.”

 

Maki blinked, once and then twice, her lips parted. Then, slowly, she closed and eyes and sighed.

 

“Temperature is normal, blood pressure is low, though. Also, your heart beat is too fast. I’m going to prescribe you a medication that contains iron and B12; you are to take it twice daily, doctor’s orders.”

 

“Doctor’s orders,” Nico mimicked without really realizing it.

 

“Super mature.”

 

At that. Nico stood up. “ _What the hell is your problem?”_ she asked. From day one, this woman had never done or said one nice thing. It wasn’t like Nico was being mean or anything, if anything her tolerance was being tested more and more each visit.

 

Dr. Nishikino whipped her head to look at Nico. “You’re the one shouting, Ms. Yazawa. Please keep it down, you aren’t the only patient here - even if you would like believe so.”

 

“I--you-- _ugh.”_ Nico’s hands began to shake. _How could anyone be this damn infuriating?_ “Is that all?” she snapped.

 

“Your prescription will be printed out up front,” Dr. Nishikino said, smirking. Nico had never hit anyone in her life (besides her previous agent a few years ago) but this lady...If Nico had to fight anyone, Doctor Nishikino would be a strong contender.

 

Nico stormed out of the office, already thinking of ways to get back at Dr. Nishikino on her next visit.

 

**Visit Four:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 10:45 am August 17th, 2014

 

Maki walked into the room already preparing for the annoyance that was Nico Yazawa. She’d even had an extra shot of espresso today.

 

She got the chart from Hanayo, seeing no notable difference in weight. Her blood pressure was closer to normal than the last visit, and according to what Hanayo gathered from Nico, there were no real symptoms. It should have been a quick and easy visit.

 

But this was Nico Yazawa.

 

Maki walked into the office to find Nico already on the examination table, her ankles crossed and hands behind her. She had on shorts and a blue and pink-striped blouse that cut off just above the navel. After two visits to her office, Maki would think that Nico picked up on the fact that it was almost always freezing. And it wasn’t like Nico couldn’t bring a sweater into the office to cover up, Maki had patients that went as far as to bring in blankets.

 

It had to be some attention-seeking thing, and Maki wasn’t going to play into it. She would not look anywhere but Nico’s eyes.

 

“Ms. Yazawa,” she greeted.

 

Nico glanced at Maki and hummed before looking down at her hand. Was she seriously going to do this _bored_ act again. Hadn’t this same situation happened the first visit at her practice? Maki suppressed her eyeroll.

 

Whatever, Nico pretending to be bored was better than Nico being completely annoying.

 

“How are you feeling?” Maki asked.

 

Nico looked up, gave a small smile. “Good, thank you. Those medicines have really worked, I think.”

 

Maki paused, her mouth opening as she fished for a reply, but closing when she realized she didn’t have one for that. Nico wasn’t supposed to be polite. She was supposed to be irritating, pompous, entitled; literally anything _but_ polite. Maki squinted, pressing her tongue against the inside of her cheek.

 

Maki set up her stethoscope, readying the bell over Nico’s heart. “Deep breathes.”

 

Nico’s heart was still faster than it should be, but a few pills can’t fix everything. “Have you experienced any dizzy spells? Nausea, fever? Things like that?” She asked, moving the bell over to Nico’s back.

 

“No. And I haven’t been as tired lately either.”

 

“Deep breath,” she said, her body craned around Nico. Maki listened to the quickened _thump thump thump,_ breathing in herself as she did so. She could smell something sweet, almost like apples. It was soothing, but then Maki realized what she was smelling was Nico’s hair, and opting on holding her breath.

 

Annoying people didn’t get to smell nice, and no matter how Nico was acting, she still was an annoying person. Completely irritating and Maki would still look nowhere but her eyes.

 

As Maki reached back around she fumbled, her hand brushing over the skin of Nico’s mid drift. Very soft skin, _but Nico’s skin._ Maki jumped back, then let out a slow sigh.

 

When Maki looked up at Nico, there was no real telling expression on her face. And for once Maki wished that she would just smirk, or smile or something.

 

“I, uh--” Maki breathed in through her nose. Next time she was tripling that espresso. “Your heart is still going a little fast, so make sure you’re taking care of that. But other than that, you’re free to go. Though you should be getting another round of blood work done soon.”

 

“Of course, Nico will do anything the good doctor says.”

 

Maki narrowed her eyes, her teeth set in a straight line.

 

Nico was at the door by the time Maki went through the words 5 times in her head. She pressed her hand against the frame leaning into it. “And by the way, _Maki,”_ Maki’s head jolted up at her name coming out of Nico’s mouth, the _M_ dragged out slow between pressed lips and the _K_ said with an absurd, unneeded flick of the tongue, “since I’m going to be a regular patient now, please call me Nico.”

 

With that, she walked away.

 

**Visit Five:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up, blood work

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 10:00 am August 31st, 2014

 

Nico sat in the chair, tapping her foot against the flooring of Doctor Nishikino’s office. _Maki._ It was Maki’s office. Maki who was 15 minutes late, but still Maki. Nico had said it to herself a few times, practiced it, making sure it sounded natural on her tongue. She liked the name, or at least, she liked it more than its owner.

 

This was the edge she could get, this was the small semblance of power. She remembered when she first started out as an idol, _really started._ Saying someone's name gave you a tie to a person, a familiarity, a closeness. Most people loved it when Nico said their name, they’d blush and get all starry-eyed. But Maki wasn’t most people.

 

She was frigid, mean and closed off. Closeness was the last thing she would want from Nico, so Nico gave it to her anyways with one, simple word.

 

Nico heard loud footsteps outside of the door and knew it was Maki, so when the door opened Nico made sure to smile at her. Maki glanced down to where Nico was sitting, gave a small grunt, and looked at her clipboard.

 

“Blood work today, Ms.Yazawa,” Maki said, not bothering to look up.

 

_“Nico.”_

 

“Which arm?”

 

Nico glared at Maki, but Maki wouldn’t even look up from her damn board to see the glare, so really she just looked stupid. “Hanayo did it last time, Maki.”

 

“Hanayo is our only nurse today and is helping out Dr. Sonoda. Now, Ms. Yazawa, which arm?”

 

“Call me Nico, and I’ll tell you.” Nico flashed one of her famous smiles, the really cute one she used when she wanted something. The one where she made her eyes go all big and-

 

“Don’t tell me, and I’ll restrain you.”

 

 _Of course that wouldn’t work._ Nico pouted, folding her arms one over the other. “Ma-Maki can’t do that. It’s not allowed.”

 

“Well, I can refer you to another doctor.” Maki finally looked up at Nico, smiling as she did so.

 

_Dammit dammit dammit._

 

“Maki can be so mean…” Nico said with a more exaggerated pout. Going with cute was going to have to be the method today, after all, it seemed to annoy Maki more than any other variant of herself. Nico sighed, rolling her head right to left. “Left!”

 

Maki went to the counter, pulling out a small, black box. Inside were viles and a needle.

 

Nico felt her stomach drop at the sight. With Hanayo it wasn’t so bad because at least she talked to Nico, however - she didn’t expect the same courtesy with Maki.  

 

“How have you been feeling?” Maki asked, flicking one of the needles.

 

Nico looked at it and gulped. It was especially unnerving considering the way Maki was smiling at her. Like she was going to enjoy this. “Uh...good. I guess.”

 

“Stay still,” Maki said. She wrapped something that looked like a giant, broken rubber band around Nico’s upper left arm tight so that the circulation was cut off. Then with narrowed eyes she looked up and down Nico’s arm. Slowly, Maki pressed her thumb against the skin of Nico’s wrist, pushing down on a popped out blue vein. “You’ve got good veins.”

 

“I think that’s the first time Maki’s ever been nice to Nico,” she said, the cute slipping out of her voice despite effort.

 

Maki looked down at her arm again, needle in hand, and stuck her.

 

“ _Mmph.”_ Nico forced herself to look away from the needle and tube and Maki. Maki who was staying dead silent while Nico was clearly in pain. Nico never thought she’d miss Hanayo so much in her life.

 

Nico couldn’t even feel the needle anymore, but just knowing it was _in_ her. Each passing second, minute, moment, felt like hours of something draining the blood from her.

 

And then, without warning, Maki jerked the needle out causing Nico to let out a loud whimper. “Hold onto that,” Maki said, positioning Nico’s thumb over a small, reddening cotton swab.

 

She put a bandage over it. “Keep that on for at least an hour. You’ll most likely bruise, but if it is any worse than that call--” she paused, biting her cheek. “A hospital.”

 

Nico gave a faint smile. “Your hospital?”

 

“Examination table,” Maki said, gesturing towards it.

 

Nico stayed reasonably quiet the rest of the appointment. A little tired and, literally, a little drained.

 

**Visit Six:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 1:00 pm September 14th, 2014

 

Maki jumped at the sudden, “Hello, Maki!” that sounded throughout her office as Nico entered. Hanayo set the chart on top of the counter, gave a small wave to both of them, and left. Usually it was the other way around with Nico waiting, but since Maki’s lunch break had been the only thing prior to the appointment, she thought it was better to just get it over with.

 

However, she wasn’t expecting Nico to be so energetic, or more energetic than usual. _Seriously, what batteries did this girl run on?_ Nico practically bounced into the office, lifting herself onto the examine table with a single jump. “How is Maki today?” she asked, swaying from side to side.

 

It was almost cute. In a toddler-y way, and still completely annoying and horrid and awful. Obviously.

 

To top the whole toddler thing off, she was literally wearing overalls. Under them was a white, sideless tank top. If you looked close enough you could see a blue bra underneath it, not that Maki wanted to look or anything.

 

“Maki?” Nico called out, followed out by a more obnoxious, “ _helllllloooo.”_

 

“What?” Maki snapped back.

 

“Woah, geez. I just asked how you were.” She put her hands back in a defensive gesture.

 

“Oh. I’m doing fine, Ms. Yazawa.” Maki gave a small smirk when she heard Nico sigh. “Give me a moment to look over your blood work from the last visit,” Maki said just before sitting down at the small desk in her office, planted at the computer.

 

As she looked through she could hear the constant shifting of wax paper underneath Nico, crinkling every other second. “Could you stop that?” she asked, not looking away from the screen. The noise stopped, and Maki could once again hear the low music playing from her office radio.

 

“Nice music,” Nico noted, her voice overpowered the light piano that was playing. “Who is it?”

 

Maki slowly closed her eyes, letting out a heavy breath. “Chopin.”

 

“Are you a big fan?”

 

“I guess.”

 

“Been to any of his live shows?”

 

Maki stood up, wrapping the stethoscope around her shoulders. “Considering he died in 1849, no.”

 

Nico laughed a little at that. “Oh, so he’s a classic guy. Like Beethoven.”

 

“Sure. You’re blood work came back fine. A little low on count, but better than before.”

 

“Who’s your favorite artist? Like, from today. Do you see any shows and stuff? Favori--”

 

“Open,” Maki said, holding out a thermometer. _What was up with the 21 questions?_

 

Nico let out an over dramatic, _“ahhh,”_ holding out the flat of her tongue for the thermometer to go in smoothly.

 

“Temperature is fine,” Maki said, pulling it out. “And I don’t think you’d know who my favorite performers were, Ms. Yazawa.” She held the bell of her stethoscope over Nico’s heart. “Slow breaths.”

 

“And why is that?” Nico asked, a little less chipper and a lot more - well, the only way to describe it was pissed. Maki looked up to watch her lips turn down into a scowl. “I don’t know the name of one dead guy and suddenly I’m, what? Too dumb to know all classical artist?”

 

Maki visibly rolled her eyes. “Slow bre--”

 

“No. Answer me, that’s why you don’t like me, isn’t it? You think I’m some dumb, bubbly idol. You think that you’re music is too good for anything I do, right?”

 

Maki pursed her lips together, listening to a few quickened beats. She didn’t want to have this conversation, she didn’t even want Nico as a patient in the first place. _Why was she obligated to act like she liked the woman?_ “You forgot infuriating,” Maki finally said, pulling away. She hadn’t meant to let that slip out and could mentally hear her father scolding her. Bedside manner had never been her thing. Difficult conversations hadn’t either.

 

Nico shoved herself off the examination table, her face bright red and hands shaking. “You know, I might not be a doctor, but I do a lot of good for people, too, and without being totally rude. All I ever wanted to do was make people smile, and make them happy - and I’ve done that.” Nico took in a deep breath.

 

“I’ve had letters of people thanking me, people who have said I helped them through hard times, through their worst times. I’m an idol and proud of it, and good at what I do. Just like you’re a doctor and clearly an arrogant one. Thinking I’m less of a performer just because I’m not Chopin or Beethoven or Wagner or _whoever_ , is like me thinking less of you as a doctor just because you aren’t a surgeon. So get off of whatever high horse you’re on Maki Nishikino because not everyone wants to look up all the time!”

 

With that, Nico stormed out of the office, leaving Maki - not for the first time - speechless. But also a little hurt.

 

**Visit Seven:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 9:00 am September 29th, 2014

 

Nico thought about changing doctors after the last visit, mainly because Maki - no matter how interesting,or whatever - was awful; but also because she was embarrassed by her outburst. She hadn’t yelled like that since firing her first agent after he tried to shove his hand down her pants.

 

She looked down at her knees when Maki walked in, only looking up when Maki cleared her throat. And then suddenly words began to tumble out. “Listen, I’m sorry about blowing up at the last visit, I know that I don’t know you - but, also, you don’t know me. Still, it was wrong to - No, _listen._ Like I said, it was wrong of me. But you were being so insufferable for no reason, and I know you think I’m inferior to all those famous pianist, and I guess that’s your right, or whatever - but I work hard too!”

 

_“Can I--?”_

 

“And it’s really frustrating when people underestimate me because I _am_ good at what I do, even if you look down on me. Even if people like you--”

 

“Nico!” Maki finally shouted.

 

Nico jerked her head up, lips parted slightly.

 

“You’ve done most of the talking, so - uh - listen to me now,” Maki said, a faint red creeping up onto her cheeks. “I’m...I’m,” she swallowed in, “sorry.” Maki looked like she was having a stroke, her eyes wide, chest going up and down fast without rhythm. “I may have been wrong about you. But, it wasn’t because you were an idol, even _if_ I don’t particularly enjoy that kind of music.”

 

Nico furrowed her brows, leaning in a little to study Maki’s reactions. “Then why?” she asked.

 

“Celebrities have a habit of being entitled and annoying and awful. And maybe you are annoying, but I suppose you aren’t--” _deep sigh_ , “totally awful or anything.” Maki muttered the last part into her hand before slowly twirling an already curled strand of hair.

 

“Wow,” Nico said, “That was a terrible apology.”

 

“Says the girl who basically apologized while reiterating the things she was supposed to apologizing for in the first place,” Maki said, though the smallest trace of a smile was beginning to appear on her lips.

 

Nico started to smile back. “Okay, maybe we’re both difficult and bad at apologies.” She then tilted her head to the side, placing a finger to her lips. “But you’re definitely the worst.”

 

“Beg to differ.”

 

Sighing, Nico said, “Maki can’t even realize when she’s wrong, what a shame.”

 

“Uh huh, sure, _Nico.”_

 

The sound of her name in Maki’s mouth sent the tiniest chill down her arms, it was strange. There was no adoration in it, and it was almost - ironically - clinical, crisp. Nico kind of liked it.

 

“Anyways, since you don’t hate me anymore-”

 

“Who says I don’t?”

 

Nico rolled her eyes. “Are you going to start listening to super idol _Nico Nico Nii’s_ music.” Nico held out her sign, striking her idol pose the best she could while sitting down on an examination table.

 

Looking her up and down, Maki gave a derisive snort. “First of all, gross. Second of all, don’t push your luck.”

 

“But Nico’s so cute!”

 

She held the stethoscope bell up against Nico’s chest. “You’re not doing yourself any favors, now breathe in.”

 

**Visit Eight:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 8:00 am October 14th, 2014

 

Maki was starting to realize that Nico Yazawa was literally everywhere. It seemed strange that she never paid attention before. Coming into the office every day she couldn’t _not_ see Nico’s face on one of the magazines laid out in the waiting room. Pictures of Nico walking, looking at her phone, buying coffee... _vaping (_ something that now Maki only found mildly disgusting). And she always looked so...good.

 

Maki saw the one outfit she was wearing, the overalls and brastrap number, on the cover of a tabloid magazine. And it didn’t look skimpy, just cute. Nico was cute, and begrudgingly, Maki could see the appeal.

 

Her music wasn’t terrible either. Maki had made the mistake of turning on a mainstream station out of curiosity, and Nico’s newest single just happened to be playing. From there Maki listened to snippets of other songs.

 

It almost became hard not to think of Nico, just because everywhere Maki turned Nico was just there, her music or her face of some random merchandise. So actually seeing her felt weird. Like it was just registering that Nico actually was a celebrity and not just some bratty patient.

 

Maki said nothing but a short greeting upon entering the room, giving the occasional glance to Nico.

 

Nico swung her legs back and forth, watching Maki closely. She could feel it. It made her squirmy, like performing under pressure. And how was she supposed to really act after their last meeting? She should act normal? Right?

 

“How are you feeling?” Maki asked, taking a quick look at the chart and seeing nothing of real significance.

 

Nico covered her mouth with her hand as she let out a loud yawn. “Tired. Have you listened to my music yet, Maki?”

 

Maki whipped her body around. _Why did she say that?_ She brought her hand up to her hair, curled it at the ends, a brief distraction from Nico - not that she needed to be distracted or anything. “I--yes. It’s kind of hard not to,” Maki said.

 

Nico’s entire body lifted at that. “ _Well_ , did you like it?”

 

The cool metal of her stethoscope rested in Maki’s hands as she brought it over to Nico. “It wasn’t bad. Breath in.”

 

Nico sucked in a gulp of air, then exhaled it all while saying, “Wasn’t bad? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you like, incapable of compliments or something?”

 

Maki circled the bell to Nico’s back, leaning over her. Like this, she couldn’t see Nico’s face, but they were pressed tighter together. “Maybe I was just trying to spare you from saying it was bad.”

 

Nico huffed in, more out of indignance than to help Maki hear the steady, but quick pace of her heart. “It is _not_ bad. Nico doesn’t do anything badly!”

 

“Except stay still?” Maki asked, pulling away. She cocked her brow, watching Nico’s face scrunch up in that strangely adorable - wait, not adorable - annoying way she does.

 

“An idol should never stay still for too long!”

 

“You’re insufferable.”

 

“Just admit you like my music, Maki. Everyone does.” She placed her hand on her chin, leaning in on it. If she tilted forward anymore Maki thought she’d fall, which could be amusing, but also could delay her entire day.

 

“You’re going to fall.”

 

“Answer me.”

 

 _Catchy, interesting composition_ \- not that Maki would say it out loud, but good vocals. “It was...okay,” Maki said.

 

“Okay?” she pouted, gave a small, “ _humph.”_

 

 _Child._ “Okay.”

 

“Okay,” Nico said back, her lips twisting up this time. Maki didn’t like that look, it was devilish, a scheming look. Definitely scheming. But after that, Nico didn’t bring up the music again, settling with tiresome small talk for the rest of the appointment.

 

**Visit Nine:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 10:00 am November 1st, 2014

 

The CD felt silly in her hands, it looked silly. Childish. Maybe Nico should have wrapped it, but then it would have come off like a gift. Something she put thought into. What would Maki think if she believed Nico truly cared about her opinion?

 

On the cover of the CD Nico had her hands on her hips, a cutesy smile on her face. She looked more like a little kid than a super idol; her hair in high twintails. So in contrast, Nico wore her hair down to the appointment, not that _she_ cared what Maki thought of how she looked.

 

But, okay, she did kind of care. She wouldn’t be such a success if she didn’t care about what others thought from time to time. So even though Maki was rude and stubborn, it still mattered to Nico.

 

She played with her hair while waiting for Maki, making sure it wasn’t too frizzy or anything. The CD was unwrapped, she had to ask Nozomi for it a few weeks ago since she usually only kept one copy of everything for herself. Well, one of each variant (okay, two). Nozomi was always sent extra stuff, anyways.

 

Nico had only mentioned it was for a new friend, to which Nozomi annoyingly prodded her. But Nico couldn't mention _Maki,_ her doctor. That would sound weird, even though it wasn’t really weird at all. So, Nico had to convince Nozomi that it was _only_ for a friend. In the end Nico didn’t think Nozomi fully bought it, not that there was anything to buy. Maki wasn’t her friend in the first place.

 

Nico stiffened when the door opened, then took in a deep breath and stood. She wasn’t going to panic about this because there was nothing to panic about. She walked over to Maki, who watched her with widened eyes.

 

“Here,” Nico said, shoving the CD towards her. “Now you don’t have an excuse, you have to listen to my music.”

 

Maki looked down at the CD, opened her mouth but only let out a small hum of confusion. “I--uh, thank you,” she said, looking back up. Her cheeks looked kind of flushed, but other than that she seemed fine.

 

“It’s no big deal,” Nico said, waving her hand off. “I mean, I have lots of them at home anyways,I just grabbed it on my way out. It’s not like I--”

 

“Thank you, Nico. Really,” Maki said again. She smiled, and Nico stopped breathing for just a moment. It felt like she was hit in the chest or something. She could feel the moisture on her palms.

 

“Well, it’s the greatest hits. I made sure to get it because it has, uh,” Nico couldn’t really say best work, but maybe most popular work?

 

Maki smirked, then said, “Your greatest hits.”

  
Nico rolled her eyes, turning around to sit on the exam table. _Smart ass._

 

“But I guess this means I _have_ to listen to it now,” Maki sighed.

 

“Hey! This was a favor! No one can resist the charms of super idol-”

 

“If you say it I’ll throw this away. Or; I’ll give it to Hanayo.” Maki pretended to think about it, or at least, it looked like pretending.

 

Nico scowled back. “Nice try, but Hanayo already owns it. I signed it for her last week.”

 

Maki held her stethoscope out, placing it on Nico’s chest. “Yeah, yeah, breathe in.” Maki listened intently, tilted her head to the side. Her hair came to curl around thin cheeks, brushing against her neck. “I really wish we could get this heartbeat thing under control. Your pulse is always fast; by any chance, are you doing any physical activity before these appointments?”

 

Nico swallowed in. “Uh--yeah. So much working out. It’s hard being Nico, you know. Always have to keep in shape!” That was a lie. This morning she hadn’t done anything physical besides pace her apartment a little bit, and after that she’d eaten three donuts.

 

Maki nodded, then pulled away. “Anything out of the ordinary?”

 

Nico shook her head no. Although, she was a little less energetic than normal while on her period. But that was the case for most people, probably.

 

Maki walked towards her with the thermometer, stuck it under Nico’s tongue. “Temperature is okay - but we’re going to need to do blood work next visit.”

 

Nico blanched at the thought. “But why? If everything is okay?”

 

Maki rolled her eyes. “Don’t be a baby. And we don’t know if everything is okay just because everything _seems_ okay.”

 

“I think you just like hurting Nico,” she said, pouting with her arms folded over. And then, her jaw dropped because instead of answering, Maki just winked. _Winked._ And Nico was reminded of how annoyingly attractive Maki was, and how annoying she was in general, and _oh boy._ What was Nico getting herself into?

 

**Visit Ten:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up, bloodwork

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 12:00 pm November 18th, 2014

 

Maki watched Nico, keeping the thermometer firm under her tongue. She’d been silent, lost in thought since the morning. Mostly because she was going to see Nico. But when she’d actually seen Nico it became hard to talk.

 

She’d listened to the CD, and then listened again, and again...Maki liked it, no, Maki loved it. So much that she actually brought herself to finally do a google search on Nico. She was originally going to read up on Nico a little bit more, learn more about her music; and then she saw that damning little tabloid.

 

_Nico Spending A lot of Time With Agent. Could they be more??_

 

Splattered around were pictures of Nico and a really pretty woman that Maki vaguely recognized from the first time Nico was brought in.

 

And for some reason Maki had the urge to google _Nozomi Tojo_ after that. She found nothing but more pictures, a company, general accomplishments - and she was _very accomplished._ Accomplished and pretty.

 

It had been nagging Maki for some reason, and being close to Nico just made her think about it more. Was Nico dating her? Was that even a thing that was allowed to happen?

 

“Maghki?” Nico said around the thermometer.

 

Maki ripped it away, wondering how long she’d been zoned out. “Oh, yeah. Temperature is fine.”

 

Nico looked up at her and grinned. Her hair was down again, bangs tucked to the side. It really showed off how mature she could look.

 

“Maki still hasn’t answered my question,” Nico said in a sing-song voice. “Did you like the CD?”

 

Maki froze. She could always lie and say she didn’t, it was hard for her to give praise sometimes, to reveal a part of herself like that. What she liked, what she didn’t like. It would give insight on her she didn’t know if she wanted to share. “Yes,” she finally said. “I did. You’re really...good.”

 

“I told you no one can resist!” Nico said. _Jeez._ It was annoying how even at her most irritating she could still be cute.

 

“Whatever,” Maki muttered, heading over to the cabinets in the office. “Which arm?” She didn’t have to look at Nico to see the flash of panic that washed over her. Hanayo had mentioned that Nico didn’t like needles after the very first encounter, said that it was best to talk to her while drawing blood. So, naturally, Maki did the exact opposite last time.

 

“Hanayo?” Nico muttered.

 

“She’s got better things to do, I can handle it,” Maki said, now looking at Nico. She smiled; it was nice to be able to scare the great Nico Yazawa. She flicked the needle in her hand, if only for dramatic effect since it didn’t actually have anything in it.

 

“Left,” Nico sighed, her eyes squeezed shut.

 

Maki wrapped an elastic band around the top of Nico’s arm so she could pop the veins out a little more, and then pressed down on the skin to see better. Nico kept her eyes shut. “So how did you even become an idol?” Maki asked, attaching the first vial to the tube in prep for extraction.

 

Nico laughed. “You couldn’t both googling me?”

 

Maki was grateful Nico had her eyes shut and couldn’t see the bright blush on her face. “You’re my patient, why would I?” she asked, slowly sticking the needle in the left joint of Nico’s arm. Nico didn’t react.

 

“ _I googled you_. Graduated two years early from Harvard in pre-med, one year early from Harvard medical school. You lived in America all that time?”

 

Maki remembered the constant traveling, the business of college. The stress. “I went back and forth a lot.”

 

“Oh,” Nico said. “Well, my story isn’t that interesting either. There is a biography about me somewhere that I signed the rights off to, but it makes me look like some rags to riches story.”

 

“Were you?”

 

Nico shrugged, her face still turned away. “I mean, my family wasn’t the most well off, but we were never struggling. Things were harder after Papa died. I had to take care of my brother and sisters a lot because Mama started having to travel more. But even when Papa was alive I knew I wanted to be an idol.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I like making people smile, I like singing. I like being noticed and when people look up to me and go _wow! She’s amazing._ ”

 

Maki smiled, pulling the needle out of Nico’s skin and setting the vials to the side of the exam table. “You’re done,” she said, pressing a cotton ball against the small prick.

 

“What? I didn’t even know you stuck me!” Nico whirled her head up to look at Maki, and then at her arm.

 

“I’m good at what I do,” Maki told her. She bandaged the prick, grinning a little at Nico’s shock.

 

“You’re good at distracting,” Nico said, almost accusingly, but her eyes were shining and lips tilted up just enough show she was joking.

 

But she was right. Maki was good at distracting, so much so that she completely forgot why she was on edge about Nico. She’d forgotten the tabloid, the possible rumors read on the internet. But when Maki remembered them, somehow they bugged her a little more than before.

 

**Visit Eleven:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 10:00 am December 3rd, 2014

 

Nico held out two tickets, her hand shaking a little because this had to be overstepping with Maki. It wasn’t easy getting the tickets, either. Not difficult as in there was a shortage because like merchandise, Nozomi always kept extras just in case. But difficult as in Nozomi _knew_ something was up now.

 

It didn’t help that she told Eli, so now she had both of them on her back. Didn’t help that Nico now had to admit that, okay, maybe she liked Maki more than she should. Maybe as more than a doctor, or a friend - if they even were friends. _Were they friends?_ It felt like that, now. Kind of.

 

“What’s this?” Maki asked.

 

Nico swallowed in. “Tickets. I have a show coming up in two weeks, I thought you’d want to go maybe. I gave two to Hanayo as well. I think she mentioned taking Rin.”

 

“Well, they’re dating, so probably,” Maki said, still looking at the tickets. Maki then licked her lips, before biting down. She twirled a loose strand of hair with her finger. “This is - are you sure?” she said looking up. “What are the dates. I--”

 

“It’s no big deal or anything,” Nico said, even though she was sweating. “Bring whoever you want. A date. I just thought, as a friend, you’d want to go.” _Ugh._ The thought of Maki bringing a date made Nico’s jaw lock. But she had to because it was rude to give someone just one ticket, right? No one wanted to go to a concert alone, and Nico already kind of gathered that Rin and Hanayo were something based on the occasional doey look they’d throw each other’s way.

 

“Friends?” Maki teased, though she still hadn’t grabbed the tickets.

 

Nico nodded. “Friends.”

 

Maki bit the inside of her cheek, but then grabbed the tickets. Wait, ticket. She grabbed one. “I’m not actually seeing anyone,” she mentioned, a throw away line more than anything, but Nico’s ears pricked up at it. “I’ll see if I can make it.”

 

She smiled, and Nico’s stomach did the weird flippy thing and her chest thumped a little harder than normal.

 

“Thank you,” Maki said, twirling her hair. “Again.” She chuckled, her hand coming to cover her mouth. “You know, maybe this whole super idol friend thing isn’t bad.”

 

Nico sighed in relief, hoping it wasn’t too noticeable. “Well now it just sounds like you’re using Nico!”

 

Suddenly Maki’s smile shifted into a frown. Her eyes widened and she leaned forward, almost touching Nico. “No! I--I really do appreciate this. I, well, thank you.”

 

Nico smiled, feeling a warm, bubbling sensation in her chest that moved up her throat. “Jeez, I was just kidding. Let’s do this appointment thing now,” Nico said, propping herself up on the examination table.

 

**Visit Twelve:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 9:45 am December 20th, 2014

 

Maki paced around the break room, her lip between her teeth and a finger constantly twirling her hair. She shouldn't have gone to that concert. Like, she thought it might be a bad idea, but it was a _bad_ idea. Because ever since she went to the concert, there had been strange feelings and strange thoughts, strange emotions.  

 

Very strange, should not be happening, well, _things_ were happening.

 

Like relief. Why did Maki feel relief when she saw Nozomi shove her tongue down some blonde woman - who Maki kind of remembered seeing upon Nico’s visit to the hospital - ‘s mouth. Why did she care? And when her palms got all sweaty watching Nico perform in outfits that were way too tiny. And why was Nico so attractive because Maki was sure that if that wasn’t the case none of these stupid thoughts would be happening in the first place.

 

The worst part was, Maki couldn’t - in all honesty - say that is was just attraction she felt towards Nico. _Stupid, stupid thoughts._

 

Maki had looked up transference, but the term didn’t seem to fit. She’d had hundreds of patients and not been interested in any of them. She’d treated several attractive people. So why Nico? The worst person to have a crush on, probably. Why the annoying super idol?

 

“Maki?” she heard from the other side of the door along with a quick knock. “Nico’s been waiting for ten minutes.”

 

“Dammit _,”_ Maki muttered. Nico the _impatient_ , annoying super idol.

 

She took in a deep breath and strutted towards the office, grabbing the chart from Hanayo on the way,  then took in another breath before opening the door. Nico looked up at her, her ruby eyes a little dull, smile a little forced.

 

Maki lost her words for a moment. “Hi,” she blurted out when Nico said nothing. Maki closed the door behind her and took a step forward, trying not to look away from Nico. That would just make things obvious.

 

“You didn’t come,” Nico said

 

Maki dropped the chart on the floor. The loud thud made both of them jump, but was enough for Maki to get her thoughts into gear. “Yes I did!” she said.

 

Nico crossed both of her arms and looked away. “Then how come you didn’t see me after, and how come Hanayo didn’t see you?”

 

Maki recalled Hanayo asking if she wanted to go with Rin and her; but Maki had declined because the whole third-wheel thing could be annoying sometimes. “I went alone. Rin and Hanayo were on a date, and I didn’t want to intrude.”

 

“And not seeing me? You were on a security list, you know?”

 

Maki’s face turned red. She was flustered because Nico had been dancing and singing and dressed in _very_ revealing clothes. At one point something that covered no more than underwear and a bra would; maybe they were underwear and a bra. And she remembered panting fans, and remembered judging them and realizing she couldn’t really judge.

 

Oh, and then she ran out of the concert as soon as it ended after too many uncomfortable jolts buzzing through her body.

 

Maki cleared her throat. “I had to get home a little earlier than the concert ended. The next morning I had an early shift,” Maki said. Technically it wasn’t a lie.

 

“Oh!” Nico said, perking up. She uncrossed her arms and folded her hands over her knees. “How’d you like it?!”

 

Maki bent down to pick the chart up from the ground, and also to get a moment of reprieve from too much eye contact. “It was good. Uh, your dancing was good.”

 

Nico grinned, her cheeks forming small dimples. “I think you met my choreographer, Eli. She was the blonde who was there when I passed out.”

 

The image of her and Nozomi stuck together played in Maki’s mind. She’d only spotted them because they were at the very front in special seating. “Yes. Her and the other woman, with the purple-hair,” Maki said. She felt stupid for playing stupid, acting like she didn’t know her name was Nozomi and that she hadn’t read a handful of tabloids on her.  “They were at your show, right? In the front.” Maki cleared her throat and turned around to get the stethoscope.

 

“ _Ugh,_ yeah. I had to see them making out, like, every time I looked down. They’re gross. My best friends, but still gross. Hopefully some reporter got a picture or something,” Nico said with a casual sigh.

 

“Why?” Maki asked, ignoring how the tips of her ears burned.

 

“If Maki bothered to pick up a magazine she’d know that half the world thinks there is some _scandalous_ affair between super idol Nico Nico Nii and her agent.” Nico faked a gasp of surprise, covering her mouth with both hands, then dropped them and rolled her eyes. “Even though she’s been dating Eli years now.”

 

Maki swallowed in, bringing the bell of the stethoscope to Nico’s chest. “So you’re not seeing her,” Maki asked. _Stupid. Stupid thing to ask._

 

“No!” Nico’s heart thumped a little louder, faster. “Though there was this thing during our freshman year of college…” Nico mused, placing a hand on her chin.

 

“Breathe,” Maki said, just as she sucked in a breath. _A thing during college?_ If Nico had a thing during college did that mean she had a thing for girls and - no. Maki was her doctor. Right. It wouldn’t matter anyway. “So you did date?”

 

Nico gave an indignant snort. “Hmm...no. More of a fling. It was kind of ridiculous.”

 

Maki moved the bell to Nico’s back, almost certain that her own heart might actually be beating a little faster. Especially being this close. Nico’s hair smelt like pears, mixed in with the sweet scent of whatever perfume she was wearing. She should have just stopped asking questions, not speak at all anymore, but ended up blurting out, “Why ridiculous?”

 

“We’ve known each other since high school, and well, _”_ she blushed, looked at her knees. “It was kind of like, _why haven’t we tried_ , and then, _oh that’s why._ ”

 

Nico wasn’t straight.

 

“Oh,” Maki said, moving away. Her thoughts went blank, though. Nico, the worst person to have a feelings for, of course wouldn’t make this easier on her. “Temperature,” she then said, just to have something to say. But before she could turn around to ready the thermometer, Nico was grabbing her hand.

 

“Maki,” she said, eyes glimmering, “keep this between us, okay.” And of course Maki _knew_ why she’d ask that. She was an idol. But there was something so personal about the way she said it, like trust. She trusted Maki.

 

Maki grabbed her hand back, held it for a moment. It felt nice to hold her hand, just the smallest show of physical contact. “Of course.”

 

The rest of the appointment went by with a lulling silence. Nothing uncomfortable, nothing weird. The sounds of medical equipment, of wrappers, of a thermometer under Nico’s tongue.

 

But when it was time to leave, Nico lingered. Her cheeks turned a light pink as she shifted between legs. “I guess I won’t see you until after christmas.”

 

Maki’s eyes widened. Oh, right. That was coming up in a few days. Had she even done her shopping, things had been so busy.

 

“Merry Christmas, Maki,” Nico said, smiling.

 

Maki smiled. “Merry christmas.”

 

**Visit Thirteen:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 10:00 am January 17th, 2015

 

Nico wished that she had not tried to become friends with Maki, or anything really. Maybe they should have stayed rivals, or whatever. Because of course Nico was going to end up liking the hottest person on probably like, the planet, if they became friends. It was inevitable.

 

Worse than liking Maki was Nozomi’s reaction to Nico liking Maki. Not that Nico meant for her to ever find out in a billion years. It just kind of happened because Nico had left her laptop opened with the google search: _can I date my doctor._

 

Nozomi hadn’t had a hard time putting two and two together. And with Nozomi knowing there was a new pressure on her, this feeling that she had to do something. Nozomi wouldn’t say anything explicitly, but she had this way of hinting at things _constantly._ This look she could give at any time.

 

But Nico couldn’t actually say anything to Maki. Her doctor. She barely knew Maki afterall so the whole thing was just, _ugh._ Nico groaned, tapping her foot against the floor of the office.

 

Why. Why _why_ **why** **_why_** whhhhhhyyyyy WHY -

 

“Nico?”

 

Nico snapped her head up to look up stupid Maki with her stupid, great face. Nico should say something witty, sassy even. Nico realized she was smiling. There went that plan. “Hi.”

 

Maki glanced down at her own shoes, then back up. She had the chart in her hand, but something else as well. Nico arched up so she could see a little better but then Maki jerked away. _What the hell?_

 

“How was your christmas?” she asked, her voice a little flimsy, shakey.

 

Nico stood up, wondering what Maki was now hiding behind her back. “Uh...good.” She went to see the family while Nozomi and Eli took some weekend trip to a bed and breakfast like annoying couples tend to do. “What about--”

 

Before Nico could finish Maki shoved something into her hands, a CD. A CD in a clear, thin cover. Nico looked at it. “Is this a mixed CD?” she asked, touched and a little light headed, but also curious as to whether they were in the 90’s or not.

 

“It’s just something I recorded. Piano tracks. I play every day and you gave me that CD of yours once, so I thought it would help for you to know at least a few classics, and--”

 

Nico hugged Maki before she could say anything else, her arms wrapped around tight, hands clasped in the middle of Maki’s back. She didn’t mean to do that, didn’t mean to get this close. Her heart was pounding, the kind of pounding she got before live shows, that nervous thump that made the blood rush to Nico’s head.

 

Maki stayed stiff at first before dropping her shoulders and awkwardly hugging back with only one arm. She rested her chin against Nico’s shoulder, fell into her shorter frame.

 

And for a moment Nico thought she could have stayed there forever. With Maki who smelt like disinfectant but was also so warm, and kinder than she let on. The feeling of never wanting to let go was what made Nico drop her hold and take a step back, though. Because in reality, it couldn’t happen. She had a tour in a little over a month, Maki was her doctor - and it just couldn’t happen. _Couldn’t happen._

 

“Thank you,” Nico said, “I didn’t even know you played.” The thought of Maki’s fingers drifting lightly over keys was soothing, a warm image.

 

Maki nodded. “Merry Christmas, again.”

 

“Happy new year,” Nico said back. They were still just a little too close, Nico could feel Maki’s breath, body heat. This was not good. Also, was Maki leaning in? Nico thought she was leaning in. She was totally leaning in.

 

Nico looked at her lips, mostly because she was shorter. Not expecting anything even though _Maki was definitely leaning in._ Or maybe Nico was leaning in, or maybe they were both leaning in. It didn’t matter because suddenly the only thing Nico wanted was Maki’s light-shaded lip gloss blended in with hers.

 

And then, Maki didn’t move back so much as she fucking jumped back as if compelled by a higher power. Maki cleared her throat, wiped her hands on her pants. “Table?” she asked.

 

Nico looked at the examination table and then back at Maki. Her head was spinning, but she could always blame that on the anemia. It was the anemia’s fault she was in the position in the first place, and that she liked Maki so much, and that Maki was so hot, and that all of the blood was rushing to the surface of her skin, and that - in general - she was fucked.

 

**Visit Fourteen:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 1:00 pm February 9th, 2015

 

Maki was fully prepared to do what any decent doctor should do when they found themselves too attracted to a patient. She realized that she _had_ to at this point, there was no more denying it since during the last visit she had nearly tried to kiss Nico.

 

_Stupid._

 

It was just that they were so close, and Nico smelled nice and looked nice - she always looked nice - and Maki started to lean in. Luckily she’d gotten a hold of her senses before actually kissing her. The last thing she needed was a sexual harassment suit, filed from a super idol nonetheless.

 

So, yes, Maki was prepared. Something she hadn’t been since Nico came barreling into her life, too pale and on a hospital bed. She was going to tell Nico she was incapable of treating her anymore at this point, and then refer her to another doctor. And if Nico asked why, Maki would just have to tell her the truth.

 

Maki blanched. _The truth._ What exactly was the truth? Did Maki want to...date her? Did she just like her, was it just a sexual thing?

 

No, it wasn’t just a sexual thing. That would make things a lot easier. She could get over a sexual thing. Sexual things didn’t make her think about dumb things like hand holding. If it was a sexual thing Maki wouldn’t have been thinking about Nico at least eight times of a day - unless she was some kind of nympho; which she most certainly was not.

 

The entire thing was annoying, more than annoying. Maddening. And every day Maki found herself wondering _why Nico._ And then she would think about Nico, how she was pretty and talented and kind of funny in a stupid way, and really kind and sweet and, well, it would make sense. _Of course Nico._

 

Maki walked up to the door, wiped her hands on her pants and fixed her hair. She was ready for this. Letting out a breath she wasn’t aware she was holding, Maki pushed open the door; coming face to face with Nico.

 

Nico was on the examination table already, her feet swinging back and forth causing the wax paper underneath her to shift. She looked nervous, maybe even more nervous than Maki looked. Her lip was tucked in between her teeth, eyes on her swinging feet.

 

“Hello,” Maki said, her voice sounding more hoarse than usual.

 

“Maki,” Nico greeted with a tight smile. “I need to tell you something.”

 

Maki’s heart dropped. Maybe she wasn’t going to say anything today, maybe Nico noticed and was going to go through measures on her own. Every possible situation circulated through Maki’s mind. It was almost reminiscent of the essay questions she had to answer in medical school. _How would you diagnose this, what would you do in this case?_ And Maki would go through all the answers in her mind with ease until she landed on the the best one.

 

At that moment she wished she couldn’t think of any answers, realizing things are much different when the situation is not hypothetical and involves your personal life. “What?” she breathed out, laughed a little. She didn’t know why she laughed, but it seemed like something someone might do in this situation. Acting natural. She was going to act natural.

 

“I, well...I’m really sorry. I should have said this a while ago, but--” Nico wrung her hands together, and Maki struggled with not wringing her neck because _what could it be?_ “I’m going on tour next month. I mean, I start next month. I’ll be gone for about a year.”

 

_Oh._

 

Maki swallowed in. “Oh.”

 

And in a single moment the air became too cool, the pounding in Maki’s chest too slow. She was leaving for a year. 12 months. Nico was leaving, and would be gone. Leaving, which implied coming back to an extent, but Maki had left places before too and never came back. Leaving.

 

“Okay.” Maki grabbed the stethoscope, put the bell against Nico’s chest. “Breathe.”

 

Nico breathed in, and Maki wondered if this would be the last time in a year she’d be this close. Because Nico had to leave, she was a super idol. World tours weren’t new to her, obviously. So, in conclusion, Maki should have seen this coming. Maki did see this at one point, didn’t she? You couldn’t truly miss the obvious, only ignore it. And the obvious was that Nico would have to leave at some point.

 

“I’ll be back in for a last appointment before I leave. Full check-up, you know?” Her heart thudded its irregular, quickened pace. Nico’s voice was shaky. Maki wondered why she had been so nervous to say anything.

 

“Is that all?” Maki asked.

 

“Well,” Nico looked up and smiled wide. It was an attempt at her idol smile, but her eyes were too dull to make it truly pop. “Nico was wondering if Maki would still be my doctor when I got back!”

 

Maki’s eyes widened, she gulped in again. _That’s why she was nervous?_ Maki had been fully prepared to do what she needed to do. “Of course.” She’d been ready to tell Nico the truth. “Why wouldn’t I be?” And then Nico had come in and changed everything.

 

Fitting.

 

**Visit Fifteen:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up, blood work

 **Symptoms:** None

 **Time in:** 12:00 pm February 20th, 2015

 

Nico had spent an hour getting ready. For a doctor’s appointment.

 

And in that hour she realized that when she got back she really needed to get her own place because living with Nozomi and Eli wasn’t working. Sure, she didn’t like to be alone but the constant call of _Nicocchi,_ followed by a smirk as Nico frantically tried to figure out what she was going to wear, was annoying as hell.

 

She wanted to look nice is all. She could look nice without it meaning anything big. (But, okay, she also wanted Maki to think she looked nice and maybe kiss her in some grand, sweeping gesture like they did in the movies).

 

Nico wore a dress. Nothing fancy, just something you’d wear out to lunch - a simple, light blue dress. But it was pretty cold outside so she had to wear a cardigan over it. Her legs were still freezing. One day Nico would ask why the hell it was always so cold in the office.

 

Maybe Maki liked it cold. Was her apartment chilly, too? Did she sleep with lots of blankets and wiggle in her sleep with her feet only partially covered? (Or maybe the temperature had nothing to do with Maki despite her name being on the practice).

 

Nico sighed to herself, placing her head into her hands. She didn’t know why she couldn’t get Maki out of her head. It was like a sickness that made her heart do the loud _thump thump thump_ thing, and unlike her anemia, there wasn’t any medicine that could fix it.

 

In hindsight, Nico really should have been warned about Maki prior to selecting her main practitioner. Like, _Yes you might feel better, but side effects include not being able to stop thinking about your incredibly hot doctor - sorry about that._

 

Nico looked down at the silver watch on her wrist, realizing Maki would be in any second now. She combed through her hair with her hands, brushed her bangs to the side so that they would look messy, but in a calculated way. Her hair was down today - she didn’t know if Maki liked it down or not, but it always made her look more mature.

 

She wanted to look mature with Maki. Maki who was a harvard graduated doctor and liked sophisticated things like dead guy piano music. Oh, and the piano stuff. Nico had her driver play it on repeat. She’d never really been overly interested in instrumental music, orchestrated things and the like. But the way Maki played was so beautiful. Like she wanted to be playing - you could tell she enjoyed it with each note. Sometimes Nico would hear humming along with the piano, it was always faint. She had to play close attention

 

Nico wondered what it was like to watch her play, if maybe she closed her eyes and rocked against the melody.

 

She dropped her hands at the sound of the door opening, the subtle click of Maki’s feet against the white, speckled flooring.

 

Nico looked up slowly so that her eyes could catch black shoes, pale ankles, the white lab coat and blue oxford shirt peeking up underneath it. “Hi,” she said, a little breathless. She could hear her heart thudding, feel it in her ears.

 

“Hi.” Maki stayed still, looking into Nico’s eyes. So much space in between them, like a barrier neither could cross, a broken bridge that lead to Maki.

 

“Let’s get started,” Maki said at the end of a long breath.

 

Nico stood up, hopped onto the exam table. She straightened out her dress so it wouldn’t scrunch up above her knees. Her hands were already sweaty. Great.

 

“That CD was really great,” Nico said. She’d meant to bring it up last week but things had gotten weird once she told Maki she was leaving. Too quiet for Nico to want to converse.

 

Maki fumbled and dropped her stethoscope on the floor. Her face was tinged red around her nose and cheeks.

 

Nico leaned in further, biting down on own lip. Maki was so cute when she got embarrassed, all pink ears and wide eyes. _How far could she push it?_  “Maki plays _really_ well.” Nico looked up and made a popping sound with her lips, her hands were gripped around the edge of the exam table. “And Nico thinks she might have heard humming?” she questioned, sing-song.

 

“I-wasn’t,” Maki said, her eyes focused on the ground despite already picking up her stethoscope. “But...I’m glad you liked it.” The ends of her lips tilted up into a small, small smile.

 

“How long have you played?” Nico asked as Maki walked up to her.

 

“Since I was little. It’s the only real hobby I’ve ever let myself have.” She brought the bell to Nico’s chest, and Nico automatically breathed in. “I played a lot less during med school, didn’t have the time. But when I did have the time again I realized how much I missed it.” The smile grew gradually, fuller and fuller.

 

Maki listened to the sound of Nico’s heartbeat for a few more moments, and Nico could tell how fast it was going. Nico didn’t think anemia was the reason for her heartbeat, though - at least not at that moment. Not the last few visits.

 

When Maki pulled away, Nico could feel the extra body heat leave her proximity as well. All of a sudden the room felt too cold again. She walked over to the cabinets to get the needle and vials for Nico’s blood work.

 

“Okay, now since I’m not going to see you for a year,” Maki stopped, swallowed in. Her hand gripped one of the vials tightly, knuckles going white. “You’re going to have to not be an idiot.”

 

“Nico? An idiot?” Nico held her hand against her heart. “Never!”

 

“Okay, miss super idol, I’m going to hold you to that.” Maki smirked, and Nico’s heart did the thing again.

 

“I would ask which arm but at this point I know you’re just going to say left,” Maki said, flicking the needle. Nico hated when she did that, especially since she was 80% sure it was just to freak her out.

 

Nico chewed on her lip, thinking of a response. Then decided _fuck it,_ she only had approximately 15 minutes left with Maki. She was going to make the best out of it. “Wow, you know my height, weight, date of birth, preferred needle arm. You might as well be Nico’s wife.”

 

Maki dropped one of the vials, catching it quickly before it hit the floor. She turned her head to the side, cleared her throat. Blushed. “I’m just being a good doctor,” she muttered, placing the vials on the exam table, and then moving a hand up to curl in her hair.

 

“Maki is the best doctor,” Nico said, if only to see the blush reach her chest. It did.

 

Maki tied elastic band around her bicep, then slowly moved one finger down her arm making Nico shiver. She looked away when Maki began to ready the needle. “You wouldn’t have said that few months ago,” Maki commented.

 

“A month ago Maki was mean.”

 

“A month ago Nico was annoying.”

 

Nico grinned. “So you’re saying Nico isn’t annoying anymore?”

 

“I’m saying she’s more tolerable than before.”

 

“You’re still mean,” Nico said, making the absolute mistake of looking up. Her blood being drawn wasn’t what caught her off guard. Maki was facing her with this wonderful, disastrous half smile that made all the blood in Nico’s body rush to her head.

 

“You’re still annoying,” she said her eyes flicking down to where the last vial was now filled up. She slipped the needle out quickly, covering it with a cotton swab and holding it down so she could tape it up. “Just a lot less annoying now and more-” Maki came to an abrupt stop, her mouth staying open. A brief flash of panic washed over her face before it smoothed out to a more neutral look.

 

_More what?_

 

“More…”

 

_More what??_

 

“Tolerable.”

 

Nico’s head dropped. “Didn’t you just say that?”

 

“It needed to be said again.”

 

Maki went back to the cabinets on the other side of the room, putting the blood work to the side and grabbing a thermometer.

 

“You know you can just admit that you like Nico and she’s your favorite idol, favorite person and favorite patient.” Nico leaned in once again, her head cocked to the side and a full, flashing smile on her face.

 

“I do like you.” Her voice was low, almost a soft whisper, and Nico had to take a moment to replay the words in her head. To see if Maki actually said that. And unless Nico had some sort of hallucinogenic put into her blood by Maki; she was most definitely hearing those words. Maki liked her. Of course, she knew they were friends and by default that would mean Maki liked her, but it was always different hearing stuff like that out loud.

 

Nico swallowed in, her head tilted up to look at Maki. “I like you too,” she said.

 

Maki smiled, then held up the thermometer in prompting. Nico opened her mouth, lifting her tongue so the thermometer could rest below it. Maki looked at her parted lips, the tongue that still peeked out between them. It was logical for Maki to be looking at her mouth, but a part of Nico thought - what if she was looking for reasons other than the thermometer? What if she leaned in?

 

“Temp is good,” Maki croaked, pulling out the thermometer. She walked to the back and set it down before coming back. “And, you’ve been feeling okay these last few weeks?”

 

Nico nodded.

 

“Um, well, I guess...I guess this is it,” Maki said. She was smiling, but her eyes were too dark to take any solace in it. “I meant what I said, Nico. You need to take care of yourself while on this tour. Drink at least two liters of water a day, eat, sleep.”

 

“Okay, Nico promises she won’t die,” Nico said. “If only because Maki clearly enjoys taking care of her.”

 

Maki cleared her throat, her hand coming up to play with the ends of her hair. “Please don’t - die, I mean. Don’t... don’t die.”

 

“I won’t. I, Nico Yazawa, the greatest idol in the universe, solemnly swear not to die.”

 

“Well, good then. I guess I’ll see you in a year.”

 

Nico breathed in. “A year.” she stood, took a long look at Maki. “Only a year.”

 

Maki’s throat bobbed as she nodded and repeated, “Only a year.”

 

They stood there facing each other for what seemed like both seconds and hours, a comfortable, tension filled passing of time that Nico used to analyze every detail of Maki. The small freckle she had on her arm, the slenderness of her fingers, the way she always seemed to always be playing with her hair.

 

“Well, I guess we should both go,” Maki said, and Nico looked at the shape of her mouth. Her lips looked soft, they were light pink, not glossy but the faint trace of lipstick was on them. Nico knew because with lipstick you could always see the creases in lips more, the small cracks.

 

“Yeah,” Nico said. “Yeah…”

 

“Then, I’ll see you. In a year.”

 

“In a year, right.”

 

Maki took in a deep breath, exhaling through her nose. Then she turned away, muttering, “Bye,” as she left.

 

Nico followed her out, going right to the exit as Maki went left. And at that moment Nico had figured out three very important things.

 

1.) Maki Nishikino was not good for her health seeing as her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest.

 

2.) This up-and-coming year was going to be a hell of alot longer than she thought it would be.

 

3.) Nico loved Maki. Not in a trivial way like she loved all cute things, not in a friend way, but in a sudden, all encompassing love that made her chest swell, and made her stomach hurt. The love that made you feel like you were going to burst at any moment, that made your hands shake and knees weak.

 

“Dammit.”

 

**Visit Sixteen:**

 

 **Reason:** Broken leg, fainting

 **Symptoms:** Heart rate accelerated, pale, shallow breathing, low blood pressure, fracture on left leg, nausea, vomiting

 **Time in:** 9:00 pm February 14th, 2016

 

Someone could correct her later if she was wrong, but Maki was almost _fucking_ positive she told Nico not to die while gone. So, seeing Nico in a hospital bed a year later on valentine's day _completely_ out of it with a puke bucket next to her bed was a little more than concerning.

 

“Idiot,” Maki muttered, though her heart was racing.

 

It started with a call from one worried Nozomi Tojo. Of course, Maki had been off at that point, settled in her apartment after a long day at the practice. She only worked at the hospital on weekends, typically. But, Nozomi had mentioned Nico’s name and mentioned the hospital. Maki had already been halfway out the door when Nozomi began talking about how Nico refused to let the other doctors see her. Basically begged for Maki.

 

One year and the first emotion Maki felt was anger (and worry and panic and, okay, a lot of complicated things).

 

She stormed into the hospital, her hair a mess and lab coat swung on half-heartedly over teal scrubs. The woman at the front desk seemed taken aback. “Patient Yazawa?” Maki asked, looking up at the clock. It’d taken her 12 minutes to get here with speeding. 12 minutes could mean a lot depending on condition.

 

“1412,” the woman said, a little timid.

 

Maki skipped the elevator and went for the stairs, glad that the woman up front was most likely new and didn’t recognize her. She knew that later she’d get scolded for coming in on an off day and taking a patient, but that could come later.

 

It took her two minutes to run up the stairs, one minute to talk to the doctor outside her door and quickly explain the situation.

 

359 days to see Nico Yazawa.

 

One second to become utterly breathless at the sight of her, head pushed to the side on a hospital bed. There was a small trail of drool on the pillow beneath her cheek.

 

“Maki!” someone chirped from beside Nico, and Maki quickly realized that Nico wasn’t the only one in the room. “Thank you for coming here. I tried to tell her that you weren't working but she’s on pain medication and not exactly reasonable,” Eli said.

 

Maki looked back to Nico, her leg was propped up and in a big, pink bulky cast.

 

“ _Maaaakiii,”_ she heard from the back of the bed. Nico lazily turned her head up, a dopey grin on her face. She was paler than Maki remembered, smaller - and Nico had always been pretty small. “Maki came to see Nico because she _loves_ Nico.”

 

“What happened?” she asked Eli. The ER attendant had passed Maki the chart before she went in, but she hadn’t gotten a proper look.

 

“She was dancing, and then started to lag a little. I was trying to get her to stop, but she’s stubborn. Anyways, the next thing I saw was her falling in the middle of a move. I went to check on her and saw she was passed out.”

 

Maki nodded, then pinched the bridge of her nose. _Idiot._ “Is Nozomi here?”

 

Eli nodded. “She’s in the cafeteria, trying to find something Nico will eat. She’s been pretty nauseous, but the other doctor put something into her IV that would help, I think.”

 

Maki looked over the chart to see what Nico was taking already, looked over history and a more detailed version of what happened. It turned out, Nico had not eaten at all and from what Eli saw - did not drink much water.

 

“I’m going to go down to the the cafeteria,” Eli said, looking at Nico and then Maki. Maki didn’t like the look, it felt like she was being examined. She walked to Nico’s side. “Are you going to be okay?” Eli asked

 

“Maki makes everything okay,” Nico slurred. “But get me cake and jello and ice cream.”

 

Eli snorted, then stood. “I’ll be back soon.”

 

Maki nodded, still distracted by Nico. “How are you even awake with all of that morphine?” she mused aloud.

 

“Nico wanted to see you...missed you.” The words were all jumbled together, so much so that Maki was having a hard time understanding. But then she caught the words _missed you._

 

“I told you to take care of yourself, and then I come back to this.”

 

“Guess you’ll have to fix me,” she smacked her lips, eyes fluttering open and then closing again. Nico’s bangs stuck to her forehead, her face still sweaty from before. And without thinking, Maki reached over and brushed them back.

 

“Can you stay awake long enough for me to do blood work?” Maki asked, leaning over Nico.

 

Nico rolled her eyes slowly, her head moving as she did so with the motion. She looked ridiculous, and Maki fought the brief urge to laugh despite still being upset. “ _‘M not a kid_.”

 

“You’re about as tall as one,” Maki commented.

 

Nico scowled. “ _Fuckoff._ ”

 

Maki shook her head. “Can’t, have a reckless patient to take care of.”

 

Standing up, Maki could hear Nico snort from behind her. “So that means you do fuck off. Ha.” Then her head rolled over to the side. Maki wasn’t sure if that was involuntary or if Nico was just too tired to hold it up. Either way, she ignored the comment and left the room.

 

She hurried through the hospital, grabbing copies of the X-rays on the way back to the room. The thought occurred to her that there were several nurses on shift available to do mundane things like bloodwork, and that she would definitely be questioned later for doing just about everything herself. It didn’t matter.

 

When she entered the room, Nico was - surprisingly - still awake. Her head was propped up on the pillows, eyes glazed over and focused on Maki.

 

“Left arm?” Maki asked.

 

Nico grinned, her teeth bright against the fluorescent hospital lights. “You remembered!” Maki walked up to Nico, then sat on the edge of the bed, forcing Nico to shift her legs over a little. “You gonna try and cuddle with Nico, now?” Nico asked, one brow cocked up. Even while high she could be smug and irritating. It was like she had a talent for it.

 

“No, I’m going to get your blood work to see how poorly you’ve been treating yourself the last year.” Maki brought her hand up to Nico’s forehead again, wiping the sweat-mingled bangs to the side. “You’re hot,” she said. Nico’s skin practically radiating heat.

 

Nico attempted and failed at winking, instead just giving a delayed blink with her right eye shutting a half second after her left. “Maki isn’t bad either.”

 

“You really are an idiot, you know?” Maki mused, tying the elastic around Nico’s left arm.

 

“You missed me,” Nico said in a small voice.

 

Maki pricked her arm and set up the first vial, noticing how Nico didn’t even react. Her head sunk deeper into the pillow.

 

“Not that you’re going to remember this,” Maki started, but before she could finish Nico cut her off with a loud yawn.

 

“ _‘Member what?_ ”

 

“This, right now.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Maki sighed, twisting on a new vial. “Anyways, one time you mentioned me not being a surgeon. It was when you told me off. Do you at least remember that?”

 

Nico nodded, a soft smile coming over her lips. “We became friends after.”

 

“Right.” Maki smirked to herself. She wondered what would have happened if Nico had stayed quiet; not that _that_ was ever possible given Nico’s abrasive personality. But the thought of not ever having Nico like this in her life made her a little sad, she could feel a brief wave of emptiness at the very idea.

 

“Well, I used to actually be a resident here. Two years ago. I was shadowing my father, looking into neurosurgery.”

 

“Brain doctor?” Nico asked into a yawn.

 

“Something like that. Anyways, I had a patient. Well, my father had a patient, but it was mainly me working with him. A younger boy who had a tumor.” Maki could hear Nico’s breathing getting heavier. “I knew that I - it was stupid of me to get attached, I guess. But I did. And I watched my father do the surgery perfectly, and he still died on the table.” Maki slipped the needle out of Nico’s arm, covered it and bandaged it.

 

“I had to tell the parents.” She looked up to find Nico’s eyes completely shut. “I knew that I couldn’t do it after that. At least not then.” Maki swallowed in, took a full bout of breath. “I guess I was scared then. And tonight I remembered what it was like to be scared again…” She paused, looked down at Nico’s opened mouth. “So you need to take better care of yourself before I kill you myself.” Maki brushed back Nico’s hair again, lingered on her forehead. She could feel the sting of first tears in her eyes.

 

“I did miss you,” she said. “A lot.” Maki chuckled thinking about it. She thought that maybe she’d forget about Nico, but it had been the opposite. With each day she’d thought about her more and more. She’d listened to all her music, read the newspapers, even the tabloids. Nico was always there without being there.

 

“I...care about you.” The word _love_ came into her mind, crept up into her throat and ran over her tongue; but she didn’t say it aloud. But she did feel it. Felt it deep in her bones the way you might feel heat, or cold; except it never left. It was a constant state of being, _love;_ maybe it was more like chronic illness, actually. _“Idiot.”_ She wasn’t sure if she was referring to Nico or herself, maybe both - but most likely Nico.

 

Maki jerked up when she heard a quick knock on the door, followed by Nozomi entering with a tray of food, mostly sweets. Maki rubbed her eyes as if tired. “Hello,” she greeted.

“Hi! Thank you so much for coming at my call. She was being difficult and - are you okay?” Nozomi asked abruptly, setting the tray on a side table. “You look like you’ve been crying.”

 

“Just tired,” Maki said. “And it’s not a problem. I just took her blood work, though I haven’t looked at her x-rays yet. She’s going to need to stay here for a few days, though, from the look of it.”

 

Nozomi nodded. “The other doctor mentioned that.” She walked closer so that she could stand on the other side of Nico. “She missed you,” Nozomi commented, grabbing one of Nico’s hands with her own.

 

“She did?”

 

Nozomi looked at her, gave her a soft smile, though her eyes had an odd glint in them. Like she was up to something. Maki didn’t like it. “You care about her,” she commented.

 

“She’s my patient.”

 

Another smile. “Of course.” _God._ It was like she knew what Maki was thinking. “Well, Elicchi just went to the bathroom, so we’ll both be here to watch her if you had other things to do. It seems like she’s sleeping for the time being.”

 

Maki remembered that she was sitting next to Nico and swiftly stood, patting down her scrubs and coat. “Yeah. Right, um, will you two be staying the night here?”

 

Nozomi nodded.

 

“Right…” Maki chewed the inside of her lip. “Right. Well, I need to consult with the previous doctor anyways, and the other Dr. Nishikino about treating Nico.”

 

“You’re staying here as her doctor?”

 

Maki blinked once, then twice. It hadn’t even occurred for her to not stay here. “Yes. Of course.”

 

Nozomi smiled again. “Okay, then. Thank you. And Dr. Nishikino?” she asked as Maki began to open the door and exit.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Happy Valentines day. I hope you got to spend time with someone you love.”

 

Maki didn’t respond to that, only gave an uneasy smile. Then, when she heard the door shut, she let her head fall back, a small groan escaping her lips.

 

**Visit Seventeen:**

 

 **Reason:** Broken leg, fainting

 **Symptoms:** Heart rate accelerated, pale, shallow breathing, low blood pressure, fracture on left leg, nausea, vomiting

 **Time in:** 6:00 pm February 14th, 2016 -- overnight stay

 **Date:** February 15th

 

Nico bit her lip, shuffled into the bed and looked away, and then back at Maki. A blush covered her cheeks and her chest felt too heavy.

 

“No past of drug use or addiction?” Maki asked, turning her head up to look Nico in the eye, her lips were pinched together in an expressionless line.

 

Nico’s eyes widened. “No! Of course not.” She looked to her right, glancing at both Nozomi and Eli for support. Both nodded. Though it annoyed Nico that Maki was looking at them now, almost waiting for some sort of confirmation.

 

Maki sighed, looked back down at her chart. She’d been coming in and out of Nico’s room for a while now, but until about an hour ago Nico had been completely out of it. Morphine; something she needed more of because her leg was starting to hurt _bad_.

 

“You’re blood results came back. They’re not good.” It felt like the first visit, Maki being mean and glaring a lot, her body frigid. Maki clenched her teeth, swallowed in. Her eyes shimmered, and under the light, almost looked a little wet.  

 

“Elicchi,” Nozomi said after too many seconds of silence, “why don’t we go to the cafeteria.”

 

Eli stood up, looked over at Nico and smiled. “Good idea. Do you want anything specific, Nico?”

 

Nico felt a wave of nausea pass through her, felt a tension lingering above her head like an anvil about to drop. “No - no thanks.”

 

Eli nodded and then followed Nozomi out of the room.

 

_Assholes._

 

Maki continued to look at Nico, her chest moving up and down, breath coming faster. And Nico had seen Maki annoyed lots of times, but never completely pissed off. It was frightening, and once again she cursed Nozomi and Eli for leaving her.

 

And yet, at the same time she couldn’t deny that Maki looked _really_ good when mad.

 

“I’m sorry,” Nico muttered.

 

Maki looked back down at the chart. “Don’t be sorry, take care of yourself. I’m not the one who’s at risk for a stroke, and I’m not the one who clearly doesn’t care about the ones around them.” She ground her teeth together, the muscles of her jaw clenching with the movement. Slowly, she dragged her eyes up to look at Nico.

 

She took in a breath. “What’s going to happen when no one is around and you collapse and hit your head? When you’re alone and start to have a stroke or seizure?”

 

A part of Nico wanted to point out that she was never alone, but she felt that it should be left unsaid for now. Her hands were shaking underneath the thin, white blanket provided by the hospital. She didn’t mean to stop taking care of herself, it hadn’t been intentional. It was just a lot to keep up with. And Nico was starting to realize that maybe she couldn’t do all the things she used to be able to do, like world tours for instance.

 

“Maki?” Nico whispered after a moment.

 

“What?” she said back, her own voice coarse.

 

“Could you come closer?”

 

“Why?”

 

“Please. Don’t be a pain…”

 

Maki snorted, then wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. They were red, watery. A pang ran through Nico’s chest at the site. “ _I’m a pain?_ ” she asked, but still walked over towards Nico.

 

When she got right next to the bed, Nico leaned up as far as she could. “What are you doing?” Maki asked, sniffing in.

 

“Trying to hug you, stupid.” She spread her arms out, only for Maki to keep staring at her with that incredulous look Nico both hated and missed.

 

“I don’t need a hug, I need you to stop acting like a moron.”

 

“Well Nico needs a hug, and Maki’s job is to make the patient feel better.”

 

Maki set her jaw in place, still watching Nico as if she was making a decision. And then, awkwardly, she leaned in and let Nico wrap her arms around her back. After a second she placed one hand on Nico’s back, jolting a little at the feeling of bare skin. Nico had forgotten her patient gown was backless, but at the same time something just felt _right_ about Maki’s sweaty palm grazing her skin, clutching her.

 

Maki pulled away after a few moments, her face flushed and upper lip slightly damp. “Now that you’re awake, we need to talk about treatment,” she said, clearing her throat.

 

Nico yawned. “That’s boring.”

 

“Well, if _someone_ hadn’t--”

 

“I know. I know,” Nico cut in, holding her hands up.

 

“I’ve talked to the ortho doctor here, and you have a pretty minor fracture, so it’s not bad enough that I can’t treat you. As for the anemia, you’re going to need to be put on B12 shots for a few months.”

 

Nico let out a small whine, her lips pulled down in an exaggerated frown.

 

Maki’s half smile didn’t help with the new panic she felt. “And the shots are typically administered every other week in the buttox.”

 

Nico’s mouth dropped. “You want to give me shots... _in the butt?”_

 

“Not want; have to.”

 

“I think Maki’s enjoying this a little too much.”

 

Maki winked.

 

And it wasn’t like Nico had forgotten how unbelievably attractive Maki was, but seeing her do things like _that_ in person was enough to make her faint again. She already didn’t have the best heart.

 

“I’ll check in later, a nurse will be here soon to administer more medicine.”

 

“Maki!” Nico yelled out as she walked away, that stupid smug grin on her face. “Wait! There has to--”

 

“See you soon.”

 

_“Maki!”_

 

**Visit Eighteen:**

 

 **Reason:** Broken leg, fainting

 **Symptoms:** Heart rate accelerated, pale, shallow breathing, low blood pressure, fracture on left leg, nausea, vomiting

 **Time in:** 6:00 pm February 14th, 2016 -- overnight stay

 **Date:** February 16th

 

Maki was still angry, but mostly relieved. Still, every time she saw the results from Nico’s blood work a rush of heat ran through her body. It was just - how could anyone be so damn careless? If Maki would have known Nico would end up being in a hospital the week of her return she would have insisted on, like, phone counseling, or something.

 

Nico was lucky the break was reasonably clean cut, though she’d still be out of commision when it came to exercise for a few months. Maki walked towards her room, needle and supplies in hand. When she entered Nico already had a fearful look on her face, her eyes went wide and mouth opened.

 

Nozomi and Eli both smiled.

 

Maki had been surprised they’d stayed most of the time. Other than going home a few times to get changes of clothes and shower and eat; they’d stuck by Nico’s side. Nico had been sleeping most of the time, but Maki often walked in only to find both of them watching her, or talking quietly to each other. It made Maki happy that Nico had people like that in her life; though she wished they’d have kept a closer eye on her during tour.

 

In their defense, Nico was pretty damn stubborn.

 

“You ready?” Maki asked, flicking the needle. She’d missed Nico’s reaction to that move.

 

Nico shook her head “no” slowly, trying to push her body away from Maki but failing due to the cast. “Ca-can’t you get a nurse to do this or something? Why is Maki in such a hurry to see Nico with her pants down? Buy me dinner first.”

 

Nico smirked when Maki’s face went bright red. Really Nico was right; this was a nurse's job. But Maki had gotten so accustomed to doing everything for Nico she didn’t really think about it. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time Maki had seen Nico’s butt considering she had to help Nico get into her wheelchair at one point yesterday. Nico was out of it, only muttering about how she had to pee. Nozomi helped her while they waited for the nurse to come and fully escort Nico to the bathroom.

 

It had been super clumsy, and Maki hadn’t really been paying attention to the exposed skin as much as she’d been aggravated by Nico stumbling around and mumbling random things.

 

“Oh, come on Nicocchi,” Nozomi said and then gave a smile that could only be described as heathonous. “I wouldn’t waste Maki’s time if I were you…” she then did a weird squeezing motion with her hands that made Eli roll her eyes and Nico cower in fear.

 

_Okay…_

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Nico muttered. “Just help me flip.”

 

Maki walked over to Nico and took her hand. “Edge to the side, um - Nozomi, Eli?” she said the names tentatively, then thought about how she _really_ should have paged a nurse. “Can you help with the legs. Just do it gently so they hang over the bed.”

 

“I can do th--” Nico started to say, but when she attempted to push her legs forward she gave out a loud cry of pain. She started painkillers today, ones that wouldn’t make her loopy, but certain movements would still trigger pain.

 

“Idiot,” Maki murmured, pushing Nico down. “Stay still.”

 

Nico smirked, and Maki realized her hand was still pressed against Nico’s chest, she snatched it away and sighed. Then with Nozomi and Eli moving her legs to the side they finally managed to get her in a sitting position on the edge of the bed. Nico looked up at Maki. “Now what?”

 

With a half-cocked grin, Maki answered, “We flip,” enjoying the way Nico’s face went pale. “Can you shift over to your side?” she asked.

 

“Can, but don’t want to.” Nico puffed her cheeks out before turning herself over while Maki helped adjust her legs, keeping the cast in mind. And then, Nico was in front of her, butt up.

 

“That’s a big needle,” Nozomi commented.

 

“Shut up, Nozomi!”

 

Eli laughed into her hand. “It is pretty big.”

 

“I hate you all.”

 

Maki brought a disinfectant and wiped it across the entry point, noting how Nico jumped. Maki chuckled under her breath. It was cute, not necessarily sexy, but she was a doctor and did know how to be professional, even when she was in love with the patient (which was not so professional). The only thing that caught Maki off guard was the small freckle on her left cheek. She didn’t noticed it before because the switch from bed to chair had been a messy affair, but now that she saw it Maki had the urge to touch it.

 

Instead she aligned the needle. “This is going to sting.”

 

“I gathered that by how fuc-” she stopped to let out a loud whine when Maki plunged the needle in.

 

“Are you going to start taking care of yourself now?” Maki asked, slowly injecting to relieve the sting just a little.

 

“Yes.” The word came out muffled, a tiny wince.

 

“We’re going to need to do this every other week for a little while, you know?”

 

“I hate you,” Nico said in the same voice as before.

 

Nozomi laughed. “No you don’t,” she said, her voice going up in register, teasing something that Maki didn’t quite grasp.

 

_“I hate you the most!”_

 

Maki pulled the shot out, covering it with a cotton swab. “I would sit on a pillow for the next few hours, but besides that; you’re good to go.” She wrapped up the injection site, putting a small bandaid over it. “You’ll need to come back next week for another checkup. And in about four weeks we’ll do another X-ray here.”

 

Maki helped adjust Nico back into position, being careful to not accidentally touch or look at any other places. When Nico was finally propped back up on the bed she let out an exhausted sigh.

 

“So that’s it?”

 

“You can’t do any physical activity for a while, but other than that…”

 

Nico kept her eyes focused on Maki’s, a tiny smile on her lips. “You probably didn’t want to see me like this for the first time when I came back but...thank you.”

 

“Thank me by--”

 

“Taking care of myself, I know. You said that already,” Nico said, the same smile still on her face. They continued to stare at each other, and Maki thought about how different it was from the magazine’s. Overwhelming, but so much better. She felt that she could breathe easier, sleep better knowing that Nico was here and not in some random city. Nico was close now, and irritating, maybe - yes - but in a way that was almost kind of cute.

 

Eli cleared her throat and Maki realized she’d completely zoned out while looking at Nico.

 

“Right. I’ll page a nurse to help get you checked out now. Prescriptions are already in the system.” Maki nodded, then walked out, a little confused when Nozomi followed. “Did you have any questions?” she asked, looking at the closed door.

 

“No, I’m heading to the car to get Nico’s clothes.” She grinned from ear to ear. Nozomi’s voice was soft, Maki had noticed, so were her eyes. She seemed nurturing and Maki was once again grateful Nico had people like that who were close to her.

 

“Oh, I guess we’re going to the same place,” she said. They entered the elevator.

 

“Going home?”

 

“Mmhmm.”

 

Nozomi pressed floor on on the elevator. “Thank you again.”

 

Maki nodded. “She’s my patient.”

 

“More than that, right?” Nozomi said, causing Maki to whip her head over. “You’re friends as well, hmm?”

 

Maki swallowed in. “Yes. Yes, we are friends. I mean, I guess.”

 

“Hmm.” Nozomi giggled. “She talked about you a lot.”

 

That made Maki’s heart beat twice, rapidly, a quick pounding in her chest. “She did?”

 

“Does.” Nozomi glanced up at Maki, and Maki wondered why the hell there were so many damn floors in this hospital. Also, why was Nico on one of the highest? “She appreciates you. As a friend and doctor.”

 

“Well, that’s good. I’m glad.”

 

A moment of silence passed before Nozomi spoke again. “You know, her next album is going to be mostly originally written music, it seems.”

 

Maki knew that Nico didn’t typically write her own songs, there were only about five that had her name on them as lyricist. Not that Maki minded because Nico clearly enjoyed singing all of her music. But why now? “Why’s that?”

 

Nozomi shrugged. “She just wrote a lot during the tour, it was new for her. Not all of it’s good, but there are a lot of...passionate things she came up with.”

 

_Floor 2_

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

_Ding_

 

“It looks like it’s going to be a love album, it’ll be good for a summer release next year.” Nozomi turned to Maki, winked, and then left the elevator. “See you soon, Maki.”

 

“Uh, yeah,” Maki said, already heading past the front desk to the changing rooms. “See you.”

 

**Visit Nineteen:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up

 **Symptoms:** leg fracture, fatigue

 **Time in:** 3:00 pm February 21st, 2016

 

Nico realized that being in love wasn’t anything like the movies. She’d figured it out sometime around the tour to be exact, when the butterflies were there but so was _a lot_ of pain. And it wasn’t like Nico had never dated or anything, because she had; she’d just never been in love. Real love, deep love, love you could feel when you stretched and love that made you unable to sleep at night. Love that made your stomach hurt, made you feel nauseous, made you think and think and think.

 

Eli’s advice had been a simple, _well you should tell her._ Nozomi’s on the other hand had been more explicit, and Nico was pretty sure a threat was mingled in with it. However, both of them were right to an extent. Nico needed to tell Maki at some point because what was happening was something that couldn’t continue.

 

Maki flashed a light into her eyes, peering deep into Nico’s pupils. “You’re exhausted.”

 

Nico blinked slowly, then let out an involuntary yawn. “Nico missed the office, but it’s so cold in here.”

 

“Don’t change the subject.”

 

Nico poked out her lower lip, only to have a thermometer shoved under her tongue a moment later. “Listen, if you’re not going to at least try to get better; I’m upping the dosage of B12 to every week.”

 

Nico’s mouth dropped open, the thermometer hanging from between her lips. Maki shoved it back in. Those shots hurt. Bad. Nico hadn’t been able to sit properly for two whole hours without extreme discomfort.

 

Maki slipped the thermometer out. “At least you’re not running fever, but you’re pale, lighter than usual - and you’ve always been too light - and on top of that your heart is still erratic.”

 

Nico swallowed in. Okay, she could tell Maki the truth. She’d been waiting over a year for this, it was time to at least test the waters. “It beats like that for Maki!” she winked, edged as close as she could with her cast in the way.

 

“Well tell it I said to stop,” Maki muttered, but Nico couldn’t tell if it was a direct rejection because her cheeks were flushed red. _So she was affected._ “Anyways, I have crutches for you,” she nodded over to the wall where they were leaning on the far end of the office. Nico had been using a wheelchair with Nozomi and Eli helping her out; though both of them had been busy that afternoon so Nico had to rely on her bodyguard to bring her to her appointment.  

 

Maki smirked at Nico. “I had to go into kids sizes.”

 

If the smirk wasn’t so hot Nico would have had some rather choice words; instead she only glared. “Very funny.”

 

Maki chuckled, going to grab the crutches. “It’ll take some practice to not be clumsy with them, so I’d still keep the chair close - but with this you’ll obviously have more mobility.” She brought them closer so that they were leaning next to Nico on the exam table. The closer they got, the more aware of Maki Nico became.

 

Like, if she just leaned in a little bit she’d be kissing Maki. Or she’d be on the floor because Maki would move and gravity would take its course. Nico preferred the first option.

 

Usually Nico wasn’t so timid about going after what she wanted. She was famous because that was her thing. And Nico loved being an idol, was in love with the concept - of course she was nervous at first, but she had to go for it.

 

Eventually, sooner than later, Nico was going to have to go for Maki. Because just like not being an idol; like the constant strive and rejection before success, this was driving her insane.

 

**Visit Twenty:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up, B12 shot

 **Symptoms:** leg fracture, fatigue

 **Time in:** 2:00 pm March 1st, 2016

 

Usually the one who was supposed to have sweaty palms and an accelerated heart rate was the patient. And, yes, Nico did have those traits, but she also had a condition. What was Maki’s excuse?

 

In her life, Maki had had one and a half girlfriends. The first, a girl from her freshman year of college. It lasted six months, and Maki ended it to focus on studies. She had felt bad, but wasn’t exactly devastated about the whole thing.

 

The half had been in Maki’s failed residency. A weird thing with another resident that never really got off the ground. Again, Maki had been focused on other things. In that case, it had been the new practice, which in her defense, was a lot of work.

 

It had never exactly been _love_. Maki never did stupid things, or felt silly or had momentary lapses in breathing. She didn’t stay up late at night thinking about it. She was able to focus, always clear headed.

 

Nico came into her life and hit her with a metaphorical train that hadn’t stopped on impact.

 

Maki thought that maybe it was because from the moment Nico Yazawa entered her life she’d felt strongly about her. Annoyed, primarily. Annoyed, and yet; when they first met there was a spark. Physically and mentally, when their hands touched for just a second Maki remembered feeling a faint jolt like touching a stove that was too hot.

 

And she was curious. Somehow along the way, Maki went from finding Nico completely insufferable to, well, still insufferable but in a different way. She made Maki’s head fuzzy, made  her skin heat up, made her think about dumb things like holding hands. All concepts that Maki was sure she’d never be juvenile enough to feel.

 

 _Juvenile._ Yes, that was the word. Nico made her feel young - and not in a good way. The terrifying way when you don’t know what the hell happens next, except in Maki’s case she always knew what was going to happen. Since she was 13 her plans had been laid out, the next step simply a mark on the calendar, a new day.

 

New days with Nico were like walking into a bees nest blindfolded.

 

Maki kept telling herself she should just refer Nico to a new doctor. One who wasn’t an idiot that fell in love with patients, perhaps. But then Maki would think, _well what if I never saw her again._ From there she’d think of the year Nico was gone, how she came back, her condition. And it just became clear that she _couldn’t_ do it.

 

Her father used to say don’t get too attached to patients. Maki regretted the fact that it was the one piece of advice from him she’d ever utterly failed.

 

Maki pressed her hand against her temple, looking at Nico who was looking at her with wide eyes. She already had the shot in her hand, now it was just about helping Nico get into position. For some reason when it was just the two of them, the action made her skin tingle more than it should.

 

Nico sighed, then looked down at her dress. “You know, I meant what I said at the hospital. You should be buying me dinner for this.” She gave an exaggerated wink, cocking her head to the side.

 

Maki walked up seeing that Nico was ready to be positioned. “Maybe I should. Would that get you to eat better?” She took Nico’s hand, pulling her over and guiding her until she was faced down on the exam table.

 

Nico hummed, then made a popping sound with her lips. _Fuck._ “I think it might.”

 

This was flirting. Flirting, right? It was definitely flirting. But Nico was an idol, half of her job was flirting.

 

Maki was a doctor, flirting was a huge _no_ for her. She breathed in through her nose, closed her eyes. “Incredulous,” she muttered. “Underwear.” There was no way in hell she was going to drag Nico’s underwear down, her skin was reaching tomato levels of red.

 

“Not even a drink, jeez.” She tugged down a pink thong and Maki forced herself not to choke.

 

Once again, Maki took in a deep string of breath. She was a doctor, and this was not meant to be erotic or sexy. She’d done this with several other patients. One time a patient had gone in completely commando.

 

She lifted Nico’s dress once her calm returned, swabbed down the right side and prepared injection. And then Maki saw that damn freckle again. How could a freckle be so cute?

 

“Um, Maki?” Nico asked.

 

Maki looked at her hand, her other hand - the one that wasn’t holding the needle. She as touching Nico’s butt. When did that even happen? “I was seeing if that would be a better injection site.” She snatched her hand away.

 

“Dinner is _all_ it takes,” Nico said again before letting out a short squeak when Maki inserted the needle. Why was she pressing this date joke so much? Why was she so damn annoying?

 

Why was she driving Maki absolutely insane?

 

**Visit Twenty-one:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up, blood work

 **Symptoms:** leg fracture, fatigue

 **Time in:** 1:00 pm March 7th, 2016

 

Nico was just going to tell her. She had too. She’d been getting about three hours of sleep a night, she hadn’t eaten a full meal in a week, _bags_ were under her eyes. And she wasn’t getting any younger, if she kept this up she could get crows feet, and while Nico knew that one day she’d retire, she had a few more years before she had to seriously consider it given her worldwide status.

 

In the last appointment Nico had _tried_ to hint that maybe they should go on a date. Tried and failed, but really - how many times did she have to make that lame joke for Maki to get it? Nico was practically screaming: _DATE ME._

 

So, now Nico was just going to do it. At least today Maki wouldn’t be touching her butt, that made it a little less terrifying; but not by much.

 

Nico swallowed in as Maki approached her with the needle to take her blood work.

 

“Hopefully with the B12 these results come back better than last time. You have been taking care of yourself, right?”

 

Nico gave a hesitant laugh. “About that…”

 

_“Nico.”_

 

“We need to talk about something,” Nico said, chewing on her lip. Her hands pressed into the examination table, the sweat leaving marks on the leathery material.

 

Maki paused amidst getting ready to wrap Nico’s arm. She looked at Nico, her expression blank for just a moment. Maki’s top lip was wet, and Nico wondered why they were both so hot when the room they were in couldn’t be any colder.

 

“After?” she croaked, covering it up with a small smile.

 

Nico nodded, extending her left arm. Maki wrapped it up tighter than usual, her hands a little shaky. She looked down at Nico’s arm, pressed on the vein.

 

“It’s nothing bad,” Nico said, seeing how uneasy Maki suddenly got. It wasn’t bad, well for Maki. For Maki, if she didn’t like Nico she could just say: _sorry._ For Nico it would probably feel worse than the leg injury she was sporting, and take way longer to heal.

 

Maki glanced up from Nico’s arm, smiled again while letting out a tiny breath. Nico then looked away as Maki set the needle close to her skin.

 

“So, how was the year away,” Maki asked in way of distraction, though Nico still felt the tiniest pinch when the needle entered her arm. Her skin was hyper sensitive, even Maki’s body heat was sending tingles down her spine.

 

“Good! Met lots of fans, though some in Florida were, hmm... very florida.” She took in a breath. “Nico missed Maki; though the onset medics were nicer!” she teased, though it wasn’t really true. Most of them were silent, making quick work out of everything. They lacked personality.

 

“Clearly not as proficient, though,” she muttered.

 

“Well, Maki is the best doctor in the world.”

 

“No matter what you say you’re not getting out of the B12 shots.”

 

Nico rolled her eyes, but it did feel good to engage in banter; not be so damn nervous. “Can’t Nico just compliment the fabulous Doctor Nishikino.”

 

“You can’t even eat and sleep properly,” Maki deadpanned because apparently she was just, like, never going to let that go. “By the way, are you going to tell me why you’re still failing to do both of those things even with me telling you to every week.”

 

_Oh._

 

_This._

 

Taking in a deep breath once again, Nico felt her hands begin to sweat again, she dug her nails into her palms, deep enough so that she knew they’d leave tiny crescents. Nico looked up when she felt Maki pressing against the needle point, saw a cotton swab with the faintest hint of red at the top.

 

“About that,” Nico said, swallowing in again. It was like she had to force herself to breath, like she would forget. Every time the air entered her lungs, though, it was too much. It felt as if her chest would expand and break with the pressure of air.

 

“Nico? Are you okay - you’re getting pale.” Maki pressed her hand against Nico’s forehead, their faces too close.

 

“I’m fine, I just - _God it’s so hot in here?”_  The temperature was climbing, Nico’s shirt tucked underneath her skirt was clinging tight to her skin, suffocating her. And Maki was there in front of her, so close, and Nico couldn’t remember when she got that close.

 

What she was feeling wasn't unfamiliar, but not common either. It was panic. She was panicking, and it was stupid. Because she would get past this either way, right?

 

“ _Nico_ ,” Maki said, yelled maybe. Nico couldn’t quite tell; but she had to say something to Maki.

 

Then again, Maki could reject her.

 

“Nico, I’m right here. What’s going on?”

 

She was panicking because she was about to tell Maki the truth. Something she’d thought about for over a year. She was panicking and it was stupid because Maki would probably reject her so she just shouldn’t say anything. She was panicking with shaky hands and sweaty skin and her throat stuffed too full of air. All with perfect Maki looking her over and it was _stupid. So, so stupid._

 

“It’s hot, and breathing,” she gasped. Nico tugged at her shirt from her skirt. _She had to get it off._ Maybe she would be able to breathe then because if she couldn’t breathe she would faint and if she fainted and still couldn’t breathe she would die, right? _“Maki?”_

 

She had to tell Maki.

 

Maki pressed her fingers against Nico’s wrist. “Your pulse…” she grabbed both of Nico’s hands into her own, her eyes wide, but not frantic. “Nico, you’re having a panic attack. Have you ever had one?”

 

Nico gulped in, hunched over only to be caught by Maki. She shook her head. Was that what this was? This inability to breath and swallow and think properly? Her hands shook.

 

“Okay,” Maki said, her voice softer than before. She held onto Nico, stroking her hair. “I want you to slowly count to ten. If you can’t, just try and concentrate on breathing.”

 

_Ten._

 

“You’re going to get through this okay.”

 

_Nine._

 

Maki brushed one strand of sweat-coated hair back behind her ear.

 

_Eight._

 

“I’m not going anywhere.”

 

_Seven._

 

Maki wasn’t going to leave her.

 

_Six._

 

“I know right now it’s scary, but it’s going to be okay.”

 

_Five._

 

Maki was here.

 

_Four._

 

Maki was holding her.

 

_Three._

 

Nico felt safe here.

 

_Two._

 

“Your pulse is evening out.”

 

_One._

 

Nico looked up at Maki, her eyes stinging a little. Had she been crying? She sniffed in, her body cooling slowly and embarrassment waving over where the panic was about a second ago. Maki was still close, and Nico realized that at some point she’d lost her shirt and thrown it somewhere across the room.

 

“Hey,” Maki said, stroking the back of Nico’s hand with her thumb. “Are you okay?”

 

Nico felt warm, fuzzy with the contact. Even though the only thing she had on her upper half was a pink bra. Nico turned her face up to look at Maki, _so so_ close. Her mouth was only two inches away, all Nico would need to do is crane up. “Maki?”

 

Maki’s lips parted, showing the faintest glimmer of white teeth and a pink tongue. “Yes?”

 

This was it, this was what she’d been waiting for. But instead of saying anything, Nico pushed herself up, looked down at Maki’s lips.

 

Maki didn’t move, so Nico moved closer and closer until their mouths were a hair away from each other. “Maki,” she said again, her heart thumping so hard she could feel it in her ears. Then she kissed her.

 

As Nico pressed her lips against Maki’s she heard a small hum, felt it vibrate against her mouth. Maki’s lips were wet, a mixture of lip gloss and sweat mingled together. But Nico quickly realized Maki still was unresponsive. Panic began to drill through her again. The thought that this was a mistake repeated over and over again until Nico found herself just about ready to pull away.

 

And then, Maki’s hand was coming to tangle in Nico’s hair. Maki was kissing her, nose pressed to the side of Nico’s, foreheads touching, lips moving.

 

Nico pushed up further, grabbing Maki’s shoulders to keep balance as she took Maki’s bottom lip between her own. She opened her eyes, making sure the moment was real. Took in the relaxed stature of Maki’s face, her closed eyes and perfectly pointed nose pushing in close.

 

Maki’s hand came around to trace the curve of Nico’s cheek, travel along her jaw and back up to her ear. Like she was trying to reach every part of Nico at once. And it occurred to Nico that Maki maybe wanted this just as bad. With every caress Nico felt warmth flutter and expand in her chest.

 

She kissed Maki’s top lip, letting their noses gently brush and nudge. Nico opened her eyes again, this time seeing Maki’s opened as well. Nico stared at her, in both wonder and shock. Maki’s hand that had been holding Nico’s jaw dropped.

 

“I shouldn’t have done that,” Maki said, her breath still tingling Nico’s skin. “I--” she jerked away, covering her mouth.

 

And probably because Nico was still dazed, she answered with, “Huh?”

 

“This is; I--” she backed away even further, her eyes wide. Nico thought for a second maybe she was the one having a panic attack. “I have to-- Hanayo will take care of any other questions. Blood work results will be back next week.” She hurried towards the door, her head ducked down. “Sorry - I just,” Maki shook her head, and then left.

 

Nico stood, found her shirt in the corner of the room, and put it on; all the while wondering what the hell just happened.

 

**Visit Twenty-two:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up, B12 shot

 **Symptoms:** leg fracture, fatigue

 **Time in:** 8:00 am March 14th, 2016

 

Maki chewed on the inside of her cheek, paced around the back room. She had time before seeing Nico, plenty of time considering Hanayo was administering the shot this time; actually; Hanayo was doing most things. Anything that she could because Maki didn’t know what to do around Nico .

 

She - _they’d_ kissed. You couldn’t just take that back, and Maki didn’t want to but that left a huge problem. Maki was her doctor. And Maki had no clue what the hell that kiss meant, or if it was a good idea even though it _felt_ good.

 

Hanayo knocked on the back room, a chart in hand. “Shots administered. Her heart rate seemed normal, blood pressure was kind of low, though.” Hanayo frowned a little at that.

 

“Usually her heart rates on the fast side, I’ll double-check.”

 

“Of course. She’s waiting for you now.”

 

Maki nodded. “Right. Thank you.” She took the chart from Hanayo’s hands, walked to the office with a certain amount of false confidence that wouldn’t make her look absolutely terrified. She shouldn’t have kissed Nico back, but she should have explained why she shouldn’t have instead of trapping them in an awkward limbo. Maki had no idea where they stood.

 

Nico didn’t look up when Maki opened the door.

 

“Hi!” Maki said, trying to sound enthusiastic despite the lump in her throat.

 

“Hi.” Nico’s eyes had bags under them, even more visible than before.

 

“Any changes? Your blood work was only a little better.”

 

Nico shook her head.

 

“What about your leg?”

 

Nico looked down at her leg. “It doesn’t hurt as bad.”

 

Maki went over to check, though there wasn’t much she could do until x-rays the next week at the hospital. She showed no signs of pain, though, which was good.

 

Maki stood, took out her stethoscope and placed the bell over Nico’s heart. She didn’t even have to tell Nico to breath in. Her heart was still fast, and when Maki looked up she could see Nico’s face was turning red. Maki’s was too.

 

Maki knew she should say something, the truth, anything. The silence, for the first time in a long time between them was uncomfortable. She felt like Nico was giving her the silent treatment, which was - _no._ She couldn’t be. They weren't five. Still, Nico was colder than usual. No hints of smiling, no brightness in her eyes.

 

“You’re good to go,” was all Maki said. _Idiot._

 

Nico nodded, and left.

 

**Visit Twenty-three:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up, X-rays

 **Symptoms:** leg fracture, fatigue

 **Time in:** 4:00 pm March 23rd, 2016

 

Nico was angry. Very angry because she was being pointedly mad at Maki, and Maki wasn’t saying anything. She may be some brilliant doctor graduate, or whatever, but the girl couldn’t read emotions. For instance, when Nico had been angry last week, Maki just brushed it off. But not today. _Oh._ She was gonna know that Nico was angry, even if it took every cell in Nico’s body.

 

It took Nico a while to get to anger. First she had to overcome confusion, and then sadness at kinda of being rejected, and then confusion again because Maki was definitely kissing her back. So she wasn’t rejected? Or was she? Nico didn’t know, and that’s how it turned into anger.

 

And the fact that Maki clearly didn’t want the kiss brought up pissed Nico off even more. Because that was _a good kiss_. At least from what Nico remembered. Maybe the best kiss she’d ever had? Her head went fuzzy, her toes curled, her stomach had butterflies. It was like those kisses you see in romance movies. Except instead of romance, Nico was on an examination table after having a panic attack.

 

Maki was still ignoring her to the point of not even looking Nico in the eye. She kept biting her lip, twirling her hair; doing things that Nico would normally find cute, but in that moment they just made Nico want to scream.

 

“You’re healing well,” Maki said, still looking at those damn x-rays.

 

“ _You’re healing well_ ,” Nico mocked, out loud. Her eyes widened. She had not meant to do that, it was a thing that was supposed to stay in her head. A head thing, if you will. Maki turned around to face her, mouth scrunched up and eyebrows pushed together.

 

“Are you, uh, okay?” she asked, setting the x-rays down and looking up at her. Finally.

 

Nico sighed, bit the inside of her cheek. “I guess,” she said, and then shook her head because she wasn’t okay. Angry! She was angry! She grabbed the crutches propped next to her on the hospital examination table. “Actually, no. I’m not.”

 

“ _Er…?”_

 

Nico was going to throw something at her. “Are you really just going to ignore--” Nico made a weird humming noise and frantically gestured between the two of them, breathing out in relief when Maki had the decency to at least look like she knew what Nico was talking about instead of giving her that stupid, adorable confused face.

 

“Nico, I--”

 

Nico wobbled a little as she stood, pressing her weight against the crutches. “No, you could have said something last week, or even twenty minutes ago, five minutes ago. I’m gonna talk.” She was already starting to feel a little out of breath. “You could have stopped me, or not kissed me back or pushed me away, but you didn’t. You could have explained last week what the hell just happened, but you didn’t. You _could_ have realized I’ve been visibly annoyed and commented on it - but you didn’t.”

 

She stepped closer to Maki, only feeling a little embarrassed that the move wasn’t as powerful as she wanted it to be because of the crutches below her arms. “What you did,” she said, pointing at Maki’s chest, “was kiss me back. And then you just left and _then_ you completely ignored it. What the hell am I supposed to make of that?”

 

Maki’s throat bobbed as she swallowed in and looked at the floor. “ _Look at me_ .” Her head popped back up, cheeks beet red. “You’ve been avoiding eye contact ever since _that_ . I’m tired of it. And I’m confused because you just left after I did something that I wanted to do for _over a year._ ”

 

At that Maki’s expression changed, her lips parted and pupils widened. She looked slightly less ashamed than before and more confused. Nico moved in closer so that their bodies were nearly touching, looked up some more. Maki’s eyes went to Nico’s lips, then dragged back up slowly. And maybe getting that _close_ was a mistake because Nico could smell the mint on Maki’s breath, see every tiny detail of her face, pull her eyes down to look at pink lips.

 

Nico opened her mouth out of reflex, able to hear her tongue separating from the roof of her mouth, Maki’s slow breaths, the slow tick of the clock. _Just an inch,_ she thought, looking at Maki’s lips again. But... _no._

 

“If you want me,” she said, able to hear the slight crack in her voice, “just fucking say so. Otherwise, don’t waste my time.”

 

With that she clumsily turned around and walked out, wincing at the screech her crutches made against the floor. She hoped it still had the same dramatic effect she was going for because her heart was pounding _super_ loud. She felt like she was going to vomit.

 

There was also the small lie about Nico and her time being wasting when in reality, Maki could never waste her time because as far as Nico was concerned she was more important than time.

 

But, details.

 

**Visit Twenty-four:**

 

 **Reason:** Check up, B12 shot

 **Symptoms:** leg fracture

 **Time in:** 3:00 pm April 1st, 2016

 

Maki had been happy. It wasn’t a word she’d used to describe her life much; not that she’d been discontent, but happy was something reserved for holidays, achievements, maybe milestones. But now it was just a state of being.

 

_Happy._

 

Happy and confused and nervous and so unsure for the first time in her life. Like she was plotting to jump off a cliff that may or may not have water.

 

The past two weeks she’d been thinking so much. This _obstacle_ that she made up, this reason why being with Nico was a bad idea - or not even a bad idea, just new. Different. Maki had never been the sort of person to just jump into things, everything she’d done since middle school had been well thought out ahead of time.

 

With Nico you couldn’t do that because Nico wasn’t patient, and Nico could be so completely bare and honest with her feelings. As if it was something she couldn’t control, like it was just natural. Maki found it admirable, but mostly it just scared the hell out of her.

 

So she’d been thinking about what to do, wondering if she could bide time - and then Nico had pressed her body so very very close, and Maki realized how badly she wanted to be kissed. And that particular thought never actually left her mind.

 

That’s when it became clear for Maki. Well, clear in the way that nothing with Nico would really ever be clear, at least not right away.

 

Nico walked in, her crutches carrying the majority of her weight. Maki thought that within the next few weeks the cast could come off. Nico was already moving pretty fast, and the general fatigue seemed to be dying down.

 

Maki hoped her blood work would come back with some improvement soon; though judging from the last time she checked it, she’d have to wait a little bit longer to see actual results.

 

Nico huffed, plopping herself down on the exam table. “Listen. Sorry about all that stuff last week,” she started, only to be cut off by Maki softly calling her name.

 

“Please, just let me get this over with, okay,” she said anyways, ignoring the interruption. “I probably shouldn’t have done that, or kissed you. I--”

 

“Nico,” Maki said, this time a little louder.

 

“Let me talk!” she slapped her hands against the table in a toddler-like fashion, making Maki roll her eyes. “I know it was inappropriate--”

 

Maki sighed, walked up to Nico and purposely dropped her chart on the table next to Nico’s hand. And then, with only slight hesitation, she grabbed Nico’s face with both of her hands and kissed her. Nothing long, though the feeling of Nico gasping against her, warm, damp breath brushing over Maki’s lips, made her _almost_ forget her main point in kissing Nico.

 

“I know you’re not used to being told to shut up. But shut up,” Maki said pulling away. She let her hands slowly slide down to hold Nico’s jaw, wondering if maybe this was too much because Nico looked like she’d seen a ghost. “First: you’re going to need to find a new doctor.”

 

“You see!” Nico exclaimed, “you kiss me and then you--” Maki kissed her again, this time a little longer.

 

A lot longer.

 

Nico brought her hand up to twine with her hair, already pushing her body forward. Maki could feel both of their heart beats, both charged with the same quick _thump thump thump._ And that word came back into her head, happy. Her pulse rushed, her blood raised to the surface of her skin, her head went _whoosh_.

 

It was all just, _right._

 

The way Nico’s mouth molded against her own; the way pink, sticky gloss that wasn’t Maki’s mixed with her chapstick. The heat of her breath caressing Maki’s tongue and cheek.

 

Maki moved forward, nestling in between Nico’s legs so that she could be pressed flush against her. And Nico’s hands went from her hair to shoulders to lower back to butt, causing Maki to give a small squeak in surprise.

 

Nico ran her tongue against Maki’s lower lip before curling it around Maki’s. And suddenly it was too hot, the room, Maki’s body, Nico’s...

 

She craned her neck forward, kissed Nico’s bottom lip, top lip, the tip of her tongue, corner of her mouth. And Maki couldn’t believe that she felt she actually had to think about this.

 

She wanted Nico and Nico wanted her and Maki was happy.

 

Nico breathed in and pushed Maki away. Her lips now turned into a scowl, opposite of the dopey grin Maki felt blooming across her face. “See! You just kiss me like that, and nearly jump me on the table right after telling me you’re dropping me as a patient.”

 

_She wanted pushy, annoying, adorable, amazing Nico._

 

Maki kissed the corner of her mouth, and _almost_ laughed at the breathy sigh Nico gave.

 

“Doctors aren’t allowed to date their patients.”

 

Nico’s mouth dropped open, her throat bobbing as she swallowed. “You want to date...me?” the last part came out as a barely audible squeak.

 

Her heart still drummed, her hands were still sweaty and Maki was sure her face was completely red; in short, she was a mess. Maki cleared her throat, nodded. “I mean, I just - not if you wouldn’t want to. _I don’t know._ I don’t know how this works but I...” the word caught in her throat, _love._ Another new concept that Maki didn’t quite grasp outside of family and certain abstract ideas.

 

Nico leaned forward and kissed her. A short, chaste kiss. She let her forehead rest against Maki’s and nodded, her hands coming up to hold Maki’s cheeks. She rubbed tiny circles against her skin and Maki tried not to lean into it, but ultimately failed.

 

“Yes,” she said before kissing Maki again. “Just wish you would have said something sooner, idiot.” Nico laughed, then sniffed in. Maki looked up to see red rimmed eyes along with a full smile.

 

“You’re crying.”

 

“So are you,” Nico said with a small roll of her eyes.

 

Maki blinked. _Oh._ She felt a trickle of water run down her cheek. And then Maki laughed, leaning forward and bringing Nico back a little. “You know, we still have an appointment. I’m still your doctor.” She pulled away, went to the cabinet to get some tissues.

 

“Is this your subtle way of telling me to drop my pants?” Nico asked, taking the tissue offered by Maki.

 

The corner of Maki’s mouth twisted up. “Actually, yes.”

 

Nico chuckled from behind her. “Fine. Nico will allow this for one last time, but the next time it’s going to cost Maki at least two dinners.”

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote in past tense for the first time in a looonnng time because i thought it would work better in past than present, so sorry if i missed any tense switches while editing :(


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